Former Senate President and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, has demanded a transparent and independent inquiry into the airstrikes, which resulted in the death of over 50 people at Borno-Yobe border on Saturday.
Daily Trust had reported that no fewer than 56 people, mostly traders, were killed while 14 others got hospitalized following the airstrike on Jilli Market, located between Gubio and Geidam Local Government Areas of Borno and Yobe states.
The airstrike was suspected to have been carried out during a military operation targeting suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
The airstrike has sparked widespread reactions from Nigerians , with many observers warning that such incidents were becoming far too frequent.
They pointed at previous tragedies, including Tudun Biri Village bombing and the Zurmi airstrikes, among others, as troubling examples of a recurring pattern.
But in a statement on Monday Lawan, who mourned the victims and appreciated the enormous sacrifices of the armed forces, said that families of the affected people deserve answers and justice.
The statement reads, “I am deeply saddened and disturbed by reports emanating from Jilli Futchimiram in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State, where a military airstrike, targeting suspected Boko Haram insurgents, has reportedly led to catastrophic loss of civilian lives.
“According to eyewitness accounts, multiple military jets took part in the operation, and the strike hit a local market, leaving over 100 people feared dead and dozens more injured. Medical sources at Geidam General Hospital have confirmed receiving at least 35 severely injured victims, with fears that the casualty count may still rise.
“While I fully appreciate the enormous sacrifices of our armed forces in the ongoing fight against insurgency, and the difficulty of distinguishing combatants from civilians in complex environments, the reported scale of this tragedy demands that we pause and ask hard questions. Without prejudice to the integrity of our military, I believe the victims, largely innocent civilians going about their daily livelihoods at a local market, deserve a full, transparent, and independent inquiry. Their families deserve answers and justice.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni, CON, the Yobe State Government, the people of Geidam LGA and the entire Yobe State. My prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. May the souls of the departed rest in peace. Amin.
However, Lawan said that the fight against terrorism should not be allowed to violate “the sanctity of innocent lives.”
He added, “We must never allow the fight against terror to desensitize us to the sanctity of innocent life. I urge the Federal Government and military high command to immediately facilitate unhindered access for investigators, ensure medical care for survivors, and provide compensation to the families of victims.”