ABUJA — Nigerian Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called for an urgent and independent investigation into a military airstrike that reportedly struck a crowded market in Borno State, killing more than 200 people, most of them traders.
The incident, which witnesses say occurred during peak trading hours, has raised fresh concerns about civilian safety in Nigeria’s conflict-hit northeast, where the military is engaged in ongoing operations against insurgent groups.
Gumi demanded accountability for those involved in the operation, including the pilots and commanders who authorized the strike, stressing that the circumstances surrounding the attack must be fully examined.
“Terrr cannot be fought with another terrr,” he said, warning that excessive or mistaken use of force risks deepening insecurity and eroding public trust in military campaigns.
He also urged Nigeria’s Senate to immediately open formal hearings into the incident, describing the strike as “mistaken” and calling for transparency and adherence to rules of engagement by the armed forces.
“We need answers, not condolences,” Gumi added, pressing lawmakers and security authorities to clarify how the operation was conducted, what intelligence was used, and whether proper safeguards were in place to prevent civilian casualties.
The Nigerian military has yet to issue a detailed public response. However, such incidents have previously drawn criticism from rights groups, who accuse security forces of failing to adequately distinguish between civilian and militant targets.
Borno State has been at the center of a long-running insurgency led by extremist groups, including Boko Haram and its splinter factions. The conflict, now in its second decade, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
Civilian casualties linked to air operations have repeatedly sparked outrage, prompting calls for stricter oversight, improved intelligence gathering, and greater accountability within Nigeria’s security forces.
