Military Defends Jilli Airstrike, Says Area Was Abandoned by Civilians
The Nigerian military has defended the airstrike on Jilli market along the Borno–Yobe border, insisting that the operation targeted terrorist elements.
The strike, which occurred on Saturday, reportedly left several people dead and others injured. The market is located between Gubio and Geidam local government areas in Borno and Yobe states.
According to the Yobe State Government, the operation was part of a military offensive against suspected Boko Haram insurgents in the area.
However, Amnesty International has condemned the airstrike, alleging that as many as 100 civilians were killed.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Sani Uba, spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East, said the strike was carried out on April 11 following intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions over the Bindul–Jilli axis.
He described the operation as a precision strike targeting a suspected terrorist enclave and logistics hub in the Jilli area of Gubio LGA, Borno State.
Uba explained that the location had been identified as a movement corridor and convergence point for fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and their collaborators.
He added that the strike followed a series of recent attacks in the region, including a January improvised explosive device (IED) incident along the Bindul route that killed eight soldiers, as well as coordinated attacks on April 9 in Ngamdu and Benisheik.
According to the military, aerial surveillance detected motorcycles and vehicles converging near Jilli, a movement later confirmed by human intelligence sources.
“More recently, on April 9, coordinated attacks were recorded in Ngamdu and Benisheik, supported by the same terrorist logistics network. Consequently, the theatre command intensified surveillance and intelligence gathering in response to persistent reports of terrorist movement and logistics activity.
“On April 11, 2026, multiple reports were received of ISWAP gun trucks and motorcycles moving along the axis,” the statement said.
Uba noted that a “rigorous” targeting process was followed before the strike was executed.
“Post-strike assessment confirmed that the target area was struck with high accuracy, resulting in the destruction of the identified terrorist logistics enclave. Scores of terrorists were neutralised, their vehicles destroyed, while surviving elements fled in multiple directions,” he added.
The military further stated that intelligence indicated the targeted group was preparing logistics for planned attacks on troop positions in the Gubio axis.
It also disclosed that a suspected logistics courier, identified as “Turja Bulu,” was arrested on April 12 in Ngamdu and allegedly confessed to involvement in a previous attack in Benisheik.
The task force reiterated that the use of motorcycles remains prohibited across the North-East operational theatre, particularly in Borno and Yobe states.