Military defends Borno strike amid rising civilian death toll

By: Abudu Olalekan

This one is hard to write. And it’s even harder to read.

A blast shook the market at Jilli village, close to where Borno meets Yobe. The army says militants used the spot like a hidden base. People nearby say smoke rose fast after planes passed overhead. Counting lives lost continues into the second day. Voices rising from families speak of grief and blame. Official words hold firm despite growing cries.

A blast struck on Saturday during Operation HADIN KAI. Right after, anger bubbled up – local leaders reacted fast, politicians raised voices, human rights groups stepped forward, while everyday folks asked one clear question: Why hit a marketplace packed with sellers?.

More than 40 civilian deaths reported locally. Higher numbers appear in some accounts. Exact counts? Disagreement runs deep, showing the mess unfolding there.

Yet here comes the army – standing firm. Not one inch given. Still holding ground.

From their view, Jilli served as a familiar base where Islamic State West Africa Province members often gathered. The attack came after careful thought, guided by solid information, deemed essential at that moment.

The military’s version of events

On Sunday, Lt. Col. Sanni Uba spoke clearly through an official release. As media chief for the Northeast Joint Task Force, he shared what needed saying.

From the start, it was clear this wasn’t random. The air unit moved with timing shaped by intel, not guesswork. A target emerged: a hideout close to where Jilli once stood, now empty, inside Gubio’s district. Every step had been mapped before engines even fired up. Accuracy defined the mission – no wide sweeps, just one focused blow. He described it as deliberate, built on coordination that ran deep. Planning held it together from beginning to end.

Uba says this wasn’t sudden. For months, troops kept watch across the Bindul-Jilli stretch – a path they’d already marked for rebel traffic. From above, drones circled without pause. Ground units moved quietly between ridges. Intelligence flowed in daily. Patterns emerged over weeks. Nothing happened by chance.

History came into his explanation as backup for the mission. When early 2026 rolled around, a unit traveling from Gubio to Damasak was struck hard by a large roadside bomb near Bindul. That blast took eight lives. Others survived but carried injuries. Come April ninth, violence spread through Ngamdu and Benisheik at once – linked, officials claim, to supply routes running from Jilli.

That Tuesday, sightings of armed pickups and motorbikes pushed troops to ramp up drone flights without delay. Moving through scrubland, the bikes appeared first – later joined by heavier transports, each closing in on a single location. From local contacts came word matching sky-level images: insurgents, support agents, supply coordinators assembling quietly. The buildup didn’t stay hidden long.

After checking everything one last time, jets hit the exact spot they aimed for, Uba stated. The damage check afterward showed the strike landed right on target. Many militants were taken out. Trucks and armed vehicles burned up. People still alive ran off in different directions.

Further he moved. Signs pointed to those struck being deep into supply runs – prepping joint strikes on army spots near Gubio. A shift in movement came before dawn.

Here comes another twist. A delivery worker named Turja Bulu got taken into custody Sunday in Ngamdu Town. Questioned by officials, he reportedly admitted helping carry out the violence on April 9 in Benisheik. From Jilli, where others like him stayed hidden, he claimed he’d traveled to bring supplies toward a unit operating close to Magumeri-Gubio.

He brought up again the army’s rule against riding motorcycles in the northeastern region, especially places like Borno and Yobe. Moving a bike in those areas, he made clear, won’t be taken lightly

Yet people not in uniform stood nearby. This complicates things.

A blast shook the market at Jilli on a Saturday morning. People going about their usual business found themselves in harm’s way. Not far away, families waited anxiously for news. Traders from Geidam arrived early like they always do. This time something went wrong. A local emergency team later said it was not meant to happen there. Folks just doing daily work became part of an unintended event. Crossing into the area wasn’t unusual for them. Buying and selling across borders happens every week. That weekend turned different.

Right away, Governor Mai Mala Buno told SEMA to start emergency actions. Teams moved out to check the situation. Yet everything had already fallen apart.

Zulum speaks – and doesn’t hold back

Born again under pressure, Borno’s governor spoke up Sunday via his spokesperson, Dauda Iliya. Sharp words came fast. Straight talk shaped the message.

“Let me state categorically that the Borno State Government closed Jilli and Gazabure markets five years ago,” he said.

Hold on. Five years since the marketplace closed by law. Yet folks kept showing up, which makes you wonder – what really happened behind those doors? Who stayed in charge when the lights went out?

Talking with state leaders and army officials, Zulum shared updates on security efforts. Anyone helping rebels – whether by sheltering them or giving supplies – could face consequences. Watchful citizens should pass trustworthy tips straight to officers in charge. Staying alert matters now that threats remain possible nearby.

Still, he stood by his promise to keep honest folks safe. Walking that line is what leaders up north must do each day.

Yobe’s response

Yobe State admitted the strike hit a known Boko Haram base, though some non-combatants were affected too. Injured people? They’re now in medical care after being moved out fast – according to Brig.-Gen. Dahiru Abdulsalam (retd.), who handles security advice for the state. Doctors say those hurt are showing signs of recovery. Not every outcome was expected when forces acted.

Amnesty International describes it as reckless

Out of nowhere, Amnesty International spoke plainly. Calling the attack irresponsible, they insisted on a fast and neutral inquiry. More than 100 possibly died, the group claimed, based on testimonies describing warplanes hitting a crowded marketplace.

“Launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone’s standard,” the group said. “Such reckless use of deadly force is unlawful, outrageous and lays bare the Nigerian military’s shocking disregard for the lives of those it supposedly exists to protect.”

They want suspected perpetrators held to account. Full stop.

Atiku weighs in

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar called the incident “a devastating failure.” And then he drew a comparison that stung.

“Just a few days ago, the United States deployed over 150 aircraft and spent an estimated $300 million to rescue just one pilot in Iran, even destroying equipment worth over $100 million each to protect a single life. That is the value they place on one citizen.”

Then he asked the question nobody in power seems to want to answer: “What is the value of Nigerian lives?”

He demanded urgent review, accountability, and decisive action. He sent condolences to bereaved families. But his frustration was clear. How long will Nigerians remain unsafe from both terrorists and the military operations meant to protect them?

Air Force launches probe

The Nigerian Air Force, to its credit, didn’t ignore the allegations. In a statement by the Director of Public Relations, Ehimen Ejodame, the service said it had activated its Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell to conduct a fact-finding mission at the site.

“The Service treats all reports of possible civilian harm with the utmost seriousness and empathy, as the protection of innocent lives remains central to all NAF operations,” the statement read.

Whether that investigation produces real accountability or just another report that gathers dust — well, that remains to be seen.

Security experts break it down

Kabir Adamu, Managing Director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Ltd, said the incident exposes gaps in civilian protection measures.

“I know NAF’s ongoing Civilian Harm Mitigation plan is meant to address this challenge of unintended blue on blue killings. However, it is unclear what progress or stage this plan is at,” he said.

His recommendations were detailed and specific. A systemic overhaul of the military’s air campaign. Better intelligence. Stricter targeting procedures. Advanced equipment. And compensation for victims — a standardized system for payments to families affected by death, injury, or property damage, regardless of fault.

“The Nigerian Air Force should publicly confirm its involvement, clarify the intended target, and detail the sequence of events,” he added.

Long-term, Adamu wants civilian protection mechanisms institutionalized across the entire security architecture. He called for multi-layered verification before any airstrike gets authorized and warned against over-reliance on air power without proper intelligence backing.

Security analyst Chidi Omeje took a slightly different angle. He called the incident tragic but said it reflects the brutal realities of asymmetric warfare.

“Because the enemies are embedded with the people, it is difficult to actually tell who is the combatant, who are the adversaries,” he explained. He’s been embedded with troops in Maiduguri and Sokoto. He knows the difficulties firsthand.

But he didn’t let the military off the hook entirely. “This is not to discountenance the possibility of weak intelligence because intelligence is always the key in this kind of operation. If they had good intelligence, I am sure they might get their targets right.”

His prescription? Better human intelligence. Stronger community relations. Investment in technology. “Intelligence is just inevitable,” he said.

Jackson Ojo, another security expert, was far less diplomatic. He questioned the precision of the operation outright.

“Precision is supposed to be the watchword of military air strikes. They must be precise,” he said. Then he raised a darker question: “Is it the handiwork of the Nigerian Air Force? Nobody knows. Is it Boko Haram? Is it foreign support? Nobody knows.”

His frustration boiled over when it came to accountability. “Immediately after the airstrike, heads would have rolled. But nobody is querying anybody. Anybody can just do anything and just go scot-free.”

He warned that the situation is eroding confidence even among security professionals. “Even in the security society, I think we are confused. We don’t know what is happening now.”

That’s a chilling thing to hear from someone in that field.

Buratai backs the operation

Former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.) came out in defense of the military. He acknowledged the loss of innocent life as “deeply unfortunate and painful” but maintained the operation was based on credible intelligence.

According to Buratai, Jilli Market has served for years as a hub where terrorists affiliated with Boko Haram and ISWAP collect illegal levies, buy supplies, and plan attacks. He recalled that troops had raided and shut down the market before, including during 2018’s Operation LAST HOLD. But the terrorists kept coming back — allegedly with cooperation from some civilians.

“It is deeply regrettable that innocent lives may have been caught in the strike, but the responsibility rests with the terrorists who deliberately embed themselves within civilian populations,” he said.

He appealed to residents of Geidam, Gubio, Damasak, and Ngamdu to stay away from markets infiltrated by insurgents. “Communities that continue to trade with such elements may inevitably find themselves in harm’s way,” he warned.

The numbers keep climbing

Here’s where it gets really gut-wrenching.

Malam Lawan Zannah, councillor for Fichiram Ward, said he personally verified the casualty figures. His count? About 200 dead.

Two hundred.

“At the moment, only 23 victims are receiving treatment within Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State, as there are no available vehicles to transport many of the injured to hospitals,” he said.

Read that again. People are dying not just from the strike itself, but because there aren’t enough vehicles to get the wounded to medical facilities. The situation, he said, is “very critical.”

This keeps happening

This is not an isolated incident. Less than a month ago, on March 16, airstrikes hit crowded public areas in Borno State — a market, a spot near a post office, and the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. At least 23 people died. Over 108 were injured.

A pattern is forming. And it’s one that demands more than statements and fact-finding cells. It demands real change in how military operations are conducted in civilian areas. Because right now, the people caught in the middle — the traders, the farmers, the mothers carrying babies through markets — they’re paying a price that no one should have to pay.

And the trust? It’s eroding fast.