The Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has defended the Nigerian military following the controversial airstrike on Jilli village market near the Borno–Yobe border, stating that individuals conducting business with terrorists could be considered legitimate military targets.
Olusegun made the remark in a post on X on Monday while responding to a tweet by radio broadcaster Osasu Suave, who questioned whether images circulating online actually showed a market.
“For once, look at this image again. Does this look like a market to you?” the broadcaster had written.
Reacting to the post, Olusegun stated: “Anyone who is doing business with terrorists are legitimate military targets for our nation’s armed forces and not civilians.”
The comment comes amid growing controversy surrounding the Nigerian Air Force strike on the Jilli Saturday market in Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State. The operation was reportedly carried out under Operation HADIN KAI on Saturday.
The military has maintained that the location served as a logistics hub for fighters linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), adding that the strike followed extensive intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
According to the military, intelligence reports indicated the movement of motorcycles and gun trucks associated with suspected terrorists converging in the area prior to the operation.
However, local sources and emergency authorities have disputed the outcome of the strike. The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency confirmed that civilians were affected in what it described as an accidental strike.
Preliminary reports from local authorities placed the civilian death toll at more than 40, though the exact number of casualties remains unverified due to conflicting accounts.
The Defence Headquarters insisted that Jilli village had long been identified as a terrorist logistics corridor and meeting point for insurgents operating in the region.
A spokesperson for Operation HADIN KAI, Sani Uba, said the airstrike followed “rigorous targeting procedures” supported by intelligence and aerial surveillance.
He added that post-strike assessments suggested that several terrorists were neutralised, while vehicles and logistics networks linked to insurgent activities were destroyed.
The military also referenced previous attacks on troops in the area, including a January 2026 incident that reportedly resulted in the death of eight soldiers, as part of the rationale for intensified surveillance and operations.
Despite the military’s explanation, the Yobe State Government acknowledged that civilians may have been inadvertently affected.
Officials said some of the victims were traders from Geidam Local Government Area who had travelled to the location for market activities. Emergency response teams have since been deployed to assist affected communities.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, described Jilli as an area previously linked to insurgent activity but urged caution and cooperation with security agencies in addressing the situation.
