Military fail to mention the incident in the Yobe-Borno border town market..

The Nigerian Air Force said it carried out air operations in the Jilli axis of Borno State to sustain pressure on insurgents, following reports that more than 50 people were killed in an accidental bombing at a weekly market along the Borno–Yobe border.

In a statement issued after the incident, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the strikes were conducted by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai as part of ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in northeast Nigeria.

He said the mission targeted fleeing fighters and regrouping elements after an earlier engagement that had weakened insurgent positions in the area.

“The follow-up strikes were executed based on credible intelligence and in close coordination with ground forces to deny terrorists freedom of movement and prevent further attacks,” Ejodame said.

He added that the operation was part of a broader air-ground effort to consolidate gains recorded by security forces and disrupt activities in the Jilli axis, which he described as a known enclave used by insurgents due to its difficult terrain.

According to the Air Force, several insurgents were neutralised and hideouts destroyed in what it described as precision strikes.

However, the statement did not mention the reported market bombing or civilian casualties, and did not directly claim responsibility for the incident.

Residents and local sources had earlier said an airstrike hit a crowded weekly market in the area, causing heavy casualties, with the death toll feared to exceed 50.

The military has yet to provide further clarification on the reports.