Trending 
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has mourned the deaths of the people who lost their lives following an airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) which hit a market along the Borno-Yobe border on Saturday. There are no confirmed figures for the casualties at press time.
Atiku, in a post shared on X on Sunday, described the incident as a failure and questioned when Nigerians will no longer be used as collateral damage when troops fight terrorists.
The Jilli market airstrike that killed scores of innocent traders is not just tragic, but a devastating failure that must outrage every conscience.
While targeting insurgents, innocent Nigerians were once again reduced to collateral damage. How long will citizens remain unsafe…
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) April 12, 2026
“The Jilli market airstrike that killed scores of innocent traders is not just tragic, but a devastating failure that must outrage every conscience. While targeting insurgents, innocent Nigerians were once again reduced to collateral damage,” said Atiku.
“How long will citizens remain unsafe both from terrorists and from the very operations meant to protect them? Just a few days ago, the United States deployed over 150 aircraft and spent an estimated $300 million to rescue just one pilot in Iran, even destroying equipment worth over $100 million each to protect a single life. That is the value they place on one citizen.”
The former Vice President also urged military forces to prevent a future occurrence.
“At home, we must confront a difficult question: what value do we place on Nigerian lives? This incident calls for urgent review, accountability, and decisive measures to ensure it does not happen again. My deepest condolences go to the bereaved families and affected communities. Nigeria must fulfil its responsibility to protect its citizens—that is the true essence of national security,” he added.
