FG defends airstrike in Borno, moves to investigate civilian impact
The Federal Government has defended the airstrike in Borno State and moved to investigate its impact on civilians, stating that the Nigerian Air Force carried out a precision counter-terrorism operation on confirmed targets in the Jilli axis of Gubio Local Government Area on April 11, 2026, under Operation Hadin Kai.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the operation was intelligence-led and conducted in one of the most active insurgent corridors in the North-East, stressing that the area had been classified as a high-risk zone with security advisories restricting civilian movement.
The government, however, expressed regret over any loss of civilian life, extending condolences to families affected and sympathies to the injured, while reiterating that every Nigerian life is sacred.
According to the statement, the strike followed sustained intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, which identified the Jilli axis—locally known as “Kasu Daulaye”—as a long-standing insurgent enclave used by Boko Haram and ISWAP operatives for logistics and coordination.
It added that intelligence was reinforced by the arrest of a 15-year-old ISWAP courier in Ngamdu on April 12, 2026, who reportedly confessed to moving funds and supplies between Jilli and other locations.
“The Federal Government reiterates that this was a deliberate, intelligence-led operation, not an indiscriminate attack, conducted in one of the most active insurgent corridors in the North-East,” the statement read.
The Federal Government noted that the Nigerian Air Force, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, confirmed the presence of terrorist elements before executing the strike, while adding that the Bindul–Jilli axis had remained a major insurgent corridor linked to recent attacks.
It also ordered a full and independent investigation into the incident and reaffirmed its commitment to accountability, civilian protection, and sustained counter-terrorism operations until lasting peace is achieved.
