The Nigerian Army troops of Operation Hadin Kai on Sunday justified their decision to strike a suspected terrorist location in Jilli Village, Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State.
Our correspondent had earlier reported that no fewer than 30 people were feared killed after a military airstrike hit a weekly market at Jilli Village, located along the border between Borno and Yobe states, on Saturday evening. The incident, which occurred at the popular Jilli Market between Gubio in Borno State and Geidam in Yobe State, reportedly left traders and residents in panic as explosions rocked the busy trading centre.
The strikes, executed on April 11, 2026, were carried out by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI in coordination with the Nigerian Army, following earlier operations that targeted and destroyed terrorist positions in the area.
However, in a statement obtained by our correspondent, the Media Information Officer of the Northeast Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sanni Uba, said the area is a known terrorist enclave and has long been identified as a major movement corridor and convergence point for Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and their collaborators.
“The Air Component of Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), in a carefully planned, well-coordinated, and intelligence-driven operation, has successfully conducted a precision airstrike on a known terrorist enclave and logistics hub located near the abandoned village of Jilli in Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State.
“The successful strike, executed on April 11, 2026, followed sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions over the Bindul–Jilli axis, an area long identified as a major terrorist movement corridor and convergence point for ISWAP terrorists and their collaborators,” he said.
Uba cited a recent attack on troops in the area that led to the death of eight soldiers, while several others were wounded.
“It will be recalled that in January 2026, troops moving from Gubio towards Damasak came under a major Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack along the road at Bindul, resulting in the tragic loss of eight soldiers, while several others were wounded.
“More recently, on April 9, coordinated attacks were recorded in Ngamdu and Benisheik, supported by the same terrorist logistics network,” the statement added.
He said the Theatre Command subsequently intensified aerial surveillance and intelligence gathering across the area in response to persistent reports of terrorist movement and logistics activities.
According to him, multiple reports were received on April 11, 2026, indicating that ISWAP gun trucks and motorcycles were moving along the axis.
“Consequently, ISR coverage over the area was immediately intensified. During the surveillance mission, a contingent of motorcycles was observed moving towards Jilli, followed shortly by additional vehicles, all converging on the same location.
“These suspicious movements were corroborated by credible human intelligence sources, confirming that the converging elements were terrorists, their collaborators, and logistics handlers.
“It is imperative to state that, in line with established operational procedures, a rigorous and professional targeting process was undertaken,” he added.
He further noted that target verification was confirmed through multiple credible human intelligence sources, supported by persistent aerial surveillance.
“Upon final validation, the Air Component executed a series of precision strikes on the objective, while surveillance platforms maintained continuous overwatch for real-time battle damage assessment,” he said.
“Equally important, post-strike assessment confirmed that the target area was struck with high accuracy, destroying the identified terrorist logistics enclave. Scores of terrorists were neutralised, their vehicles and technicals destroyed, while surviving elements were observed fleeing in multiple directions,” he added.
According to him, intelligence further indicates that the neutralised elements were in the final stages of receiving logistics from couriers for coordinated attacks on troop locations within the Gubio axis.
“This decisive action has significantly disrupted imminent terrorist plans and degraded their operational capability within the theatre,” he stated.
He further explained that on April 12, 2026, a terrorist logistics courier identified as “Turja Bulu” was arrested in Ngamdu. During preliminary investigation, he reportedly confessed to participating in the April 9 attack on the 29 Brigade location in Benisheik and revealed he had been dispatched by ISWAP from Jilli, where many terrorists were hibernating, to supply food items to another group operating around the Magumeri–Gubio general area.
“This successful strike is yet another demonstration of the resolve and operational capability of OPHK to sustain relentless pressure on terrorist elements, disrupt their logistics networks, and deny them freedom of movement within the theatre,” he said.
He reiterated the Command’s ban on the use of motorcycles across the North-East operational theatre, particularly in Borno and Yobe states, due to their continued use by terrorist elements for movement, logistics, and attacks.
“Any such movement in restricted areas will be treated with the utmost seriousness in line with existing operational directives,” he added.
