Nigeria Defends Airstrike, Orders Investigation into Civilian Casualties

The Nigerian government has defended an airstrike conducted on a market near the Borno-Yobe border, characterizing it as a “deliberate, intelligence-led operation” aimed at targeting terrorist elements. The strike, executed on April 11 by the Nigerian Air Force as part of Operation Hadin Kai, reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 100 civilians, according to Amnesty International. In a statement from Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the government asserted that the operation was not indiscriminate but specifically targeted an area known locally as “Kasua Daulaye,”