Defence Minister Musa Issues Stern Warning to Anyone Aiding Terrorists [VIDEO]
The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, has warned that anyone found aiding or collaborating with terrorists will be treated as a criminal, while defending a recent Nigerian Air Force airstrike in Borno State.
He issued the warning on Monday during a troop engagement, reiterating the military’s commitment to ending killings and kidnappings by bandits and insurgents across the country.
“I’ve told the service chiefs on ground that they cannot be here and bandits are killing and kidnapping people unnecessarily,” he said.
Reacting to the airstrike carried out near Jilli village in Gubio Local Government Area, Musa maintained that the operation targeted a known terrorist enclave and logistics base linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
He cautioned civilians against any form of collaboration with insurgents, stressing that such actions would attract serious consequences.
“A friend of a thief is a thief,” he said, warning residents to avoid supporting or sheltering terrorist elements.
Musa also advised communities to stay away from areas identified as insurgent hideouts, noting that proximity to such locations could expose civilians to danger during military operations.
The Nigerian Air Force had earlier stated that the strike was intelligence-driven and aimed at neutralising terrorists and destroying their equipment.
The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI reportedly carried out the operation on April 11, 2026, following sustained Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions along the Bindul–Jilli axis, a route described as a key corridor for terrorist movement.
However, there have been claims that the strike may have hit a weekly market in the area, with reports alleging civilian casualties, including cross-border traders.
Despite these concerns, Musa insisted the operation should serve as a warning to those supporting insurgents, reaffirming the military’s resolve to intensify offensives against terrorist networks in the North-East.
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