Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has defended the recent airstrike carried out by the Nigerian Air Force around the Jilli axis, insisting the location has long been linked to insurgent activity, even as reports of civilian casualties continue to generate concern.
The governor stated that the area, including the Jilli market corridor, had been under surveillance for years due to intelligence suggesting it served as a logistics and coordination point for armed groups operating in Nigeria’s North-East.
Zulum recalled that the Borno State Government took the step of shutting down Jilli Market about five years ago after security agencies identified it as a gathering point for suspected insurgents and their supply networks.
According to him, the closure was part of broader counter-insurgency measures aimed at cutting off access to food, fuel, and other materials that could sustain militant operations across remote communities.
The recent airstrike, he noted, was based on updated intelligence indicating renewed movements and possible regrouping of suspected fighters within the area, prompting military action.
However, the operation has drawn scrutiny following reports from local sources and humanitarian observers alleging that civilians may have been affected in the strike.
While the military has maintained that the target was a legitimate insurgent location, it has also acknowledged the need to assess the situation, with indications that further investigation into the outcome of the strike is underway.
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Zulum, while backing the intent of the operation, emphasized that security forces must continue to refine their intelligence and targeting processes to minimize the risk to innocent lives.
He stressed that the realities of asymmetric warfare in conflict zones like Borno State often present difficult choices, where civilian and insurgent movements can overlap in complex ways.
The governor reiterated his administration’s position that defeating insurgency requires sustained military pressure, but added that accountability and civilian protection must remain central to all operations.
