The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has once more condemned the airstrike on a civilian market at the Borno-Yobe border on Sunday, 12th April, 2026, which reportedly killed more than 56 persons and injured many others.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission Dr. Tony Ojukwu OFR SAN while reacting to the incident said the loss of civilian lives in this manner constitutes a grave violation of the right to life, dignity, and security of person guaranteed under Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and International Humanitarian Law.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also said, describing the incident as “accidental” does not absolve the State of its obligation to protect civilians.
He lamented that the recurring pattern of airstrikes resulting in civilian casualties raises urgent questions of compliance with the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution, which are binding on all military operations.
He stressed that the Commission notes with deep concern that this is not an isolated incident. Each recurrence erodes public trust and undermines the legitimacy of counter-terrorism efforts.
The NHRC therefore demands the following he said:
a) Immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into the Yobe market airstrike. Such investigation must not be left solely to the Nigerian Air Force he emphasized. It must include the National Human Rights Commission, the National Assembly, independent experts, and representatives of affected communities to guarantee impartiality and public confidence.
b) Accountability at all levels of command. All persons involved in the chain of command, from intelligence assessment, mission authorization, to the pilots who executed the strike, must be identified and, where culpability is established, held to account in accordance with the law. Administrative suspension of officers directly involved, pending investigation, is necessary to preserve the integrity of the process and prevent interference.
c) Full reparation for victims and families is not only necessary but urgent. The Federal Government must urgently provide medical care for the injured, dignified burial support, and adequate compensation for families of the deceased, in line with international human rights standards on the right to remedy.
(d) Each mission like this must be followed by full assessment of operational challenges with a view to preventing future occurrence.
This tragedy strengthens the Commission’s longstanding call for the urgent implementation of a comprehensive National Policy on the Protection of Civilians especially in the conflict zones. Such a policy must place human rights at its core. It must establish clear, binding protocols for intelligence verification, targeting, post-strike assessment, and mandatory civilian harm mitigation in all military operations.
It must create a permanent, independent civilian casualty tracking and response mechanism. An integrated human rights approach is not optional; it is a legal obligation and the only path to lawful, effective, and sustainable security operations.
The protection of civilians cannot be treated as collateral to national security.
The Nigerian State has a duty to ensure that its actions to combat terrorism do not replicate the very lawlessness and disregard for human life that it seeks to defeat.
The Commission calls on the relevant authorities to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves. Nigerians deserve answers, justice, and guarantees of non-recurrence.
The NHRC extends its condolences to the families of those killed and stands with the affected communities in Yobe State. The Commission will monitor the investigation and engage all relevant authorities to ensure that the rights of victims are upheld. The commission stands ready to assist the government to ensure the implementation of a successful national policy for the protection of civilians.
