Nigeria’s military has defended its airstrike on Jilli market along the Borno–Yobe border, insisting the operation was a precision strike on a terrorist logistics hub, amid claims of civilian casualties. The strike, carried out on April 11 in Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State, targeted what officials described as a meeting point for fighters linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Military spokesperson Sani Uba said the operation followed detailed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, with movements of motorcycles and vehicles identified as part of a logistics buildup for planned attacks. He added that the strike achieved high accuracy, destroying the target and neutralising several fighters. However, Amnesty International alleged that about 100 people, many of them civilians, were killed in the operation.
Borno Governor Babagana Zulum warned residents against aiding insurgents, while Yobe State activated emergency response efforts to assess and support affected communities near the border. The incident highlights the persistent challenge of conducting counter-insurgency operations in areas where militant groups intermingle with civilian populations, a dynamic that has complicated military efforts across the North-East for over a decade.
