By Our Correspondent

National News – The Nigerian military has defended an airstrike carried out on Jilli village market near the Borno–Yobe border in North-East Nigeria, explaining that the operation targeted an Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) logistics enclave amid rising insecurity concerns.

The strike, executed under Operation HADIN KAI on April 11, 2026, followed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations tracking suspected terrorist movements in Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to the military, motorcycles and gun trucks were observed converging on the area, which was identified as a known insurgent corridor linking Borno and Yobe states.

However, local authorities and residents reported that more than 40 civilians, including traders, were killed during the market-day strike, while conflicting figures suggest higher casualties, sparking public outrage and calls for investigation.

The Nigerian Air Force stated that the operation was a precision strike based on verified intelligence, aimed at disrupting imminent attacks planned by insurgents.

Civil authorities, including the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, acknowledged that civilians were inadvertently affected, while Borno State officials described the area as a long-abandoned market used by insurgents.

Amnesty International condemned the strike as reckless and called for an independent investigation, alleging possible mass civilian deaths.

Meanwhile, security experts urged improved intelligence verification, precision targeting, and stronger civilian protection measures to prevent future tragedies in the insurgency-hit region.

Military authorities have also announced a fact-finding probe through the Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell to establish whether operational procedures were fully complied with during the strike.

Tensions remain high across affected communities in Borno and Yobe states following repeated incidents of accidental bombings in the conflict zone.