Nigeria’s counterinsurgency strategy is once again under scrutiny following fresh comments by the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, on the controversial airstrike in Jilli, Borno State.

Speaking after a high-level security meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, the minister defended the operation, insisting it was a targeted strike based on credible intelligence and not a case of mistaken identity. According to him, the location had long been identified as a logistics base for insurgents operating in the North-East.

The strike, which reportedly occurred in a remote area along the Borno axis, has drawn concern amid claims of civilian casualties. Rights groups and residents have questioned whether sufficient safeguards were in place to protect non-combatants, especially in a region where economic survival often intersects with insecurity.

General Musa, however, rejected suggestions that innocent civilians were caught in the operation. He maintained that individuals present at the site were knowingly engaged in activities that supported insurgent groups, including the supply of food, fuel and other materials.

According to the Defence Minister, the area had effectively become a restricted zone due to its use by terrorist networks. He explained that traders were drawn there by high profits, with basic commodities reportedly sold at inflated prices, creating a steady supply chain that sustains insurgent operations.

He acknowledged that distinguishing between civilians and collaborators can be difficult in asymmetric warfare, but stressed that the military relies on verified intelligence before carrying out such operations. He also drew a distinction between those forced into cooperation and those who willingly engage with insurgents for financial gain.

The development has renewed debate over how military operations are conducted in conflict zones, with analysts warning that maintaining public trust depends on transparency, accountability, and clear rules of engagement to minimise harm to civilians while tackling security threats.