Troops of Nigeria’s Joint Task Force in the northeast, known as Operation Hadin Kai, have arrested a 15-year-old boy over his alleged role in an ആക്രമation that killed a senior military officer and two soldiers in Borno state, the military said.
The suspect, identified as Tijjani, was arrested Sunday in Ngamdu while reportedly on an errand to purchase food supplies for his group. In a video confession, he said he participated in coordinated attacks on Benisheikh and Ngamdu last week.
The assault killed Brig. Gen. Oseni Braimah, commander of the 29 Task Force Brigade, along with two soldiers when suspected Boko Haram fighters struck their base.
Speaking in Hausa, the boy said the attackers moved from Jilli and returned there after the operation. He added that he had been sent from Jilli with 850,000 naira (about $600) to procure logistics before being apprehended.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has condemned a recent Nigerian Air Force airstrike on Jilli Market along the Borno–Yobe axis, which local sources say killed more than 200 civilians, mostly traders.
The Nigerian military has not confirmed civilian casualties, saying the operation targeted suspected insurgent positions.
In a statement, HURIWA said the incident reflects a pattern of deadly air operations that have caused civilian casualties over the past decade.
The group cited several previous घटनाएं, including the 2017 bombing of a displaced persons camp in Rann that killed more than 100 people, as well as other strikes in Borno, Adamawa, Zamfara and Niger states that resulted in civilian deaths.
HURIWA’s national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the frequency of such incidents points to systemic failures in intelligence gathering and operational accountability.
“When such deadly errors become frequent and predictable, they amount to institutional negligence and a grave violation of the right to life,” he said.
The group called for an independent investigation led by civilian authorities, including the National Human Rights Commission, and urged the government to make its findings public.
It also demanded compensation for victims’ families and called on the military to review its rules of engagement, particularly regarding operations in civilian areas.
HURIWA warned that continued incidents could erode public trust and leave civilians increasingly vulnerable, urging authorities to take steps to prevent further loss of life.
