Like NAF, Army confirms airstrike kills terrorists but is silent on civilian casualties

Despite detailing operational success, the Army did not indicate whether any civilians were affected by the strike.

The Nigerian Army has stated that scores of suspected terrorists were killed in a precision airstrike on a terrorist’s hideout in Jilli, a Yobe community bordering Borno.

This was contained in a statement issued by Sani Uba, the spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that military airstrikes struck a border market in Jilli, killing many civilians. Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the operation, estimating that more than 100 people were killed.

Earlier, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) confirmed the operation. Its spokesperson, Ehimen Ejodame, in a statement on Sunday, said terrorists were targeted in the operation conducted in collaboration with ground troops of the Nigerian Army.

Mr Ejodame did not address reports of civilian casualties and failed to respond to our reporter’s inquiry on the matter.

Army also silent about civilian casualties

Despite detailing operational success, the Army did not indicate whether civilians were affected by the strike.

In his statement, Mr Uba, a lieutenant colonel in the Army, explained that the air component of Operation Hadin Kai carried out the operation, describing it as “carefully planned and intelligence-driven.”

According to him, the 11th April operation targeted a terrorist enclave and logistics hub near Jilli village.

Mr Uba said the location has long been identified as a key movement corridor and convergence point for fighters linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

The operation followed weeks of intensified intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in the area, triggered by a series of recent attacks on military positions, he said.

Mr Uba referenced a January improvised explosive device (IED) attack along the Gubio–Damasak road that killed eight soldiers, as well as assaults in Ngamdu and Benisheikh on 9 April.

Military authorities said surveillance detected the movement of motorcycles and gun trucks converging on the Jilli location, which was later corroborated by human intelligence sources as a gathering of terrorists and logistics couriers.

“Upon final validation, the Air Component executed a series of precision strikes on the objective,” he stated, adding that real-time aerial monitoring confirmed “high accuracy.”

The military spokesperson said the strike destroyed the logistics hub, killed “scores of terrorists,” and damaged vehicles and equipment. Surviving fighters were seen fleeing the area, he added.

Mr Uba said further intelligence suggested that those targeted were in the final stages of receiving supplies for planned attacks on troop locations in the Gubio axis, indicating the operation may have disrupted imminent assaults.

He also disclosed that a suspected logistics courier identified as “Turja Bulu” was arrested in Ngamdu on 12 April. According to the military, the suspect confessed he was involved in the 9 April attack on a brigade location in Benisheikh and was allegedly transporting supplies from Jilli to other terrorist cells in the Magumeri-Gubio area.

Mr Uba stated that motorcycles remain banned across the North-east operational theatre, citing their continued use by insurgents for movement and logistics.

He said the joint task force would sustain pressure on terrorist networks and continue efforts to dismantle their enclaves.