Maiduguri: Nigerian Air Force jets bombed an ISWAP logistics hub in Jilli, Borno, killing terrorists. Civilians at a nearby market were also affected, prompting official clarification.
Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, Media Information Officer at the OPHK Headquarters, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday in Maiduguri.
Uba said that the airstrike targeted a significant Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) logistics hub.
He said the operation occurred on Saturday following extended Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) over the Bindul–Jilli axis.
According to him, Bindul-Jilli is a major terrorist movement corridor and convergence point for insurgents and their collaborators.
“On 11 April 2026, multiple reports indicated ISWAP gun trucks and motorcycles moved along the axis. ISR coverage was increased.
“During the surveillance mission, a contingent of motorcycles was observed moving in the direction of Jilli, followed shortly by additional vehicles, all converging on the same location,” he said.
Uba said human intelligence confirmed the group was terrorists, collaborators, and logistics handlers.
The media officer said that after target validation, the Air Component carried out precision strikes on the enclave, noted for their accuracy.
Post-strike assessment reported that the target area was engaged with high accuracy, impacting the identified logistics enclave.
It was reported that several individuals were impacted by the strike, some vehicles sustained damage, and additional individuals departed the area afterwards.
Uba added that intelligence showed those affected were receiving logistics for coordinated activities before the strike.
The officer recalled that the Bindul–Jilli corridor was linked to previous attacks, including a January IED on the Gubio–Damasak road that killed eight soldiers, and coordinated attacks in Ngamdu and Benisheik on April 9.
He added that on April 12, troops arrested an alleged ISWAP logistics courier, “Turja Bulu,” in Ngamdu.
“Upon preliminary investigation, he confessed to taking part in the attack on the 29 Brigade location at Benisheik and was dispatched from Jilli to deliver food items to another group of terrorists hibernating within the Magumeri–Gubio general area,” he said.
NAF reported follow-up airstrikes in the Jilli axis to build on the initial operation’s outcomes.
In a statement, the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said that the action reflected the use of intelligence in coordinating joint operations.
He said the mission was part of a coordinated air-ground operation with the Nigerian Army, following a previous engagement that affected positions in the area.
The follow-up strikes targeted groups seen moving in the area, reportedly manoeuvring difficult terrain, Ejodame said.
He said the ongoing strikes were aimed at restricting movement, deterring planned attacks on security forces, and supporting civilian safety.
Additionally, the Yobe Government issued a clarification regarding reports that residents of the Geidam council area were directly impacted by the airstrike.
In a statement, the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Mai Mala Buni, Brig.-Gen. Dahiru Abdulsalam (rtd) said the operation targeted a Boko Haram stronghold in Jilli, Gubio council area of Borno.
He said residents from Geidam, which borders the affected area, were at the Jilli weekly market and were among those impacted by the strike, indicating that civilians in the market vicinity were unintentionally involved.
“They have been evacuated to Geidam Specialist Hospital and are responding to treatment,” Abdulsalam said, confirming that the injured civilians are receiving medical attention.
He stated Jilli was considered insurgent-controlled with no civilian presence, calling it a “no man’s land” used for logistics and coordination.
Abdulsalam also restated that the use of motorcycles remains prohibited across the North-east operational theatre due to their continued use by terrorist elements.
He, however, assured residents of sustained operations to dismantle terrorist enclaves and restore lasting peace in the region.
