The Nigerian Air Force conducted targeted airstrikes on the Jilli Market area in Borno State's Gubio Local Government Area over the weekend as part of Operation Hadin Kai. Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communications, accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of politicising the operation, calling his response "disappointing and telling." Dare stated on X, under the article titled "ATIKU: QUESTIONABLE PATRIOT," that the market had ceased functioning as a civilian hub years ago and had been repurposed by Boko Haram and ISWAP as a logistics and trading node. He argued that describing the strike as an attack on civilians was misleading and reckless. Borno Governor Babagana Zulum confirmed the market had been officially closed for five years, labelling it a "notorious hub" for insurgents. His Special Adviser on Media, Dauda Iliya, said the state government maintains coordination with the military before reopening any markets in conflict-affected zones. Zulum affirmed close consultation with Yobe State and military authorities following the strike. Defence Minister Christopher Musa described the operation as part of a "new strategy," stating, "A friend of a thief is a thief. Anybody who is doing any trading or providing any support to them (terro)…"
Sunday Dare's public rebuke of Atiku Abubakar cuts to the heart of Nigeria's political theatre—where security operations become partisan battlegrounds. By framing Atiku's criticism as opportunism, Dare exposes a recurring dynamic: opposition figures are damned if they speak and damned if they don't. Atiku has consistently faulted the government over insecurity, yet when military action occurs, condemnation is interpreted as unpatriotic. The specificity of Dare's claim—that Jilli Market ceased being a civilian space five years ago, a fact corroborated by Governor Zulum—shifts the narrative from civilian casualties to targeted disruption of insurgent logistics.
This moment reflects the broader challenge of public trust in conflict zones. If markets like Jilli have indeed been under insurgent control for years, then their reclassification as military targets changes the moral calculus. But the government's failure to consistently communicate such context to the public creates fertile ground for political friction. The military's shift to intelligence-led strikes, as endorsed by Minister Musa, signals a tactical evolution, but without transparency, such actions risk alienating the very populations they aim to liberate.
For residents of Borno and Yobe, the stakes are immediate. Those displaced or living near contested zones face prolonged uncertainty, especially if markets remain closed without viable economic alternatives. The state's call for vigilance and cooperation presumes a level of trust that years of conflict have eroded. Rebuilding requires more than military success—it demands credible, consistent communication.
This episode fits a longer pattern: security gains are often overshadowed by political messaging wars. When military action becomes a proxy for ideological combat, the complexity of counterinsurgency is lost in translation.
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