Nigerian Army Justifies Airstrike Amid Civilian Casualties

On April 11, 2026, the Nigerian Army conducted an airstrike in Jilli Village, Gubio Local Government Area, Borno State, targeting a known terrorist enclave associated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Reports indicate that approximately 30 people were feared killed during the strike, which occurred at a weekly market.

Lt. Col. Sanni Uba of the Northeast Joint Task Force stated that the operation was part of a coordinated effort to disrupt terrorist activities in the region. The airstrike followed sustained intelligence surveillance that identified the area as a major logistics hub for ISWAP.

The operation was executed after confirming credible human intelligence about terrorist movements, including the presence of gun trucks and motorcycles. The airstrike aimed to neutralize terrorist capabilities and prevent imminent attacks, particularly following a recent coordinated attack that resulted in the deaths of eight soldiers.

Post-strike assessments indicated high accuracy in targeting the identified terrorist logistics enclave.