The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI has carried out a successful precision air strike on a terrorist enclave and logistics hub in Jilli, Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State, dealing a significant blow to insurgent operations in the North East.
According to a statement issued by the Joint Task Force (North East), the operation was executed on April 11, 2026, following sustained Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions over the Bindul–Jilli axis—an area identified as a major movement corridor for Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and their collaborators.
The strike came in response to heightened terrorist activity in the region, including a deadly Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in January along the Gubio–Damasak route that claimed the lives of eight soldiers, as well as recent coordinated attacks in Ngamdu and Benisheik on April 9.
Military sources disclosed that multiple reports of terrorist movements, including gun trucks and motorcycles, were received on April 11, prompting intensified aerial surveillance. During the mission, several groups of suspected insurgents were tracked converging on Jilli. The intelligence was further validated by credible human sources, confirming the presence of terrorists and logistics handlers at the location.
Following a thorough targeting process, the Air Component launched precision strikes on the identified enclave. Post-strike assessments confirmed the destruction of the logistics hub, with scores of terrorists neutralised and several vehicles, including technicals, destroyed. Survivors were seen fleeing in different directions.
Further intelligence revealed that the neutralised group was in the final stages of receiving supplies for planned coordinated attacks on military positions within the Gubio axis, indicating that the operation may have foiled imminent threats.
In a related development, troops on April 12 arrested a suspected terrorist logistics courier, identified as “Turja Bulu,” in Ngamdu. Preliminary investigations indicate that he participated in the April 9 attack on a military formation in Benisheik and had been dispatched from Jilli to deliver supplies to insurgents operating in the Magumeri–Gubio area.
The military described the operation as a major success, reaffirming its commitment to dismantling terrorist networks and disrupting their logistics chains across the theatre.
Authorities also reiterated the ban on the use of motorcycles across Borno and Yobe States, citing their continued exploitation by terrorist groups for mobility and operations.
Operation HADIN KAI assured residents of the North East that ongoing military efforts would be sustained with renewed intensity to restore lasting peace and security in the region.
