FEDERAL Government has defended the April 11 airstrike on the Jilli axis in Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State, saying the operation was carefully planned to weaken terrorist logistics and disrupt their movement.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the strike was based on credible intelligence and carried out by the Nigerian Air Force under Operation HADIN KAI.

He said the location targeted had long been identified as a stronghold of insurgents, where members of Boko Haram and ISWAP were known to gather, collect levies and organise attacks.

“The operation was a deliberate, intelligence-led mission, not an indiscriminate attack,” the minister said.

The government explained that the Jilli axis, often referred to locally as “Kasu Daulaye,” had for years served as a meeting point for insurgents and a channel for supplies. It added that the area had already been classified as dangerous, with advisories warning civilians to stay away.

While acknowledging reports of civilian casualties, the government expressed sympathy with affected families and those injured.

“Every Nigerian life is sacred, and any loss of civilian life is deeply regretted,” the Minister said.

Authorities said the strike followed weeks of surveillance after increased attacks were traced to the same network operating along the Bindul–Jilli corridor.

Security sources linked the area to an IED incident earlier in the year and coordinated attacks in Ngamdu and Benisheikh just days before the airstrike.

The government also cited the arrest of a 15-year-old ISWAP courier in Ngamdu, identified as Tijjani, who allegedly confessed to moving funds and supplies between Jilli and other locations. Officials said this pointed to the level of activity in the area and how insurgents make use of young persons.

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, was quoted as saying Jilli and the nearby Gazabure market had been shut down about five years ago after they fell under insurgent control.

Following the incident, the Federal Government said it had ordered a full and independent investigation to review how the operation was carried out and identify any lapses.

“The protection of civilian lives remains a core obligation of the Armed Forces,” Idris stated.

He added that efforts were ongoing to support affected communities, with federal agencies working alongside the Borno and Yobe State governments to provide relief materials and assistance.

He advised residents in conflict areas to obey security directives and avoid locations marked as unsafe, while the public was urged to cooperate with security agencies.

The government also cautioned the media against spreading unverified reports, noting that inaccurate information could create confusion and affect ongoing operations.

On the broader fight against terrorism, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, was cited as saying that hundreds of convictions had recently been secured in terrorism-related cases at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Observers, including Amnesty International, the Nigerian Bar Association and the National Human Rights Commission, monitored the trials.

The government maintained that it would continue its operations against insurgents and would not allow such incidents to weaken the campaign against terrorism.