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By Lawrence Agbo
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has defended the recent military operation at Jilli Market, insisting that those present at the location during the airstrike were either terrorists or individuals collaborating with insurgents.
Speaking during an interview with Trust TV, the minister described the operation as carefully planned and successfully executed, maintaining that the military acted on credible intelligence before carrying out the strike.
According to him, Jilli Market has long served as a hub for trade linked to areas around Lake Chad, where terrorist groups are known to operate.
He alleged that individuals who frequent the market often engage in transactions that benefit insurgents.
Musa argued that terrorism is not limited to those who directly bear arms, stating that civilians who provide support, supplies, logistics, or other forms of assistance to armed groups should also be regarded as terrorists.
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“The terrorists are civilians because they take up arms. If you support those who take up arms directly or indirectly, either by support or supplies, you are terrorists,” he said.
The defence minister further warned that anyone involved in business dealings with terrorists risks becoming a legitimate target during military operations.
“If you make yourself a target, you are a target, especially if you deal with terrorists or those giving them supplies,” he added.
His comments come amid ongoing debates over military operations in insurgency-hit areas and concerns about civilian casualties during counterterrorism campaigns in the North-East.
The military has repeatedly maintained that its operations are guided by intelligence aimed at disrupting terrorist networks and their sources of support.
