Troops Rescue 360 Abducted Women, Children in Borno

Troops Rescue 360 Abducted Women, Children in Borno

Troops of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, working alongside Special Operations Forces, have rescued about 360 abducted women and children from terrorist captivity during a major operation in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

The rescue operation, carried out on June 6, targeted several terrorist hideouts in the Mandara Mountains, a rugged border region that has long served as a sanctuary for Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters.

Military sources said the rescued civilians were among residents of Ngoshe community who were abducted by terrorists during a deadly attack on March 3, 2026. The victims, mostly women and children, had spent months in captivity before troops successfully secured their freedom.

According to security sources, the operation began with a series of coordinated missions by Special Operations Forces aimed at disrupting terrorist activities and weakening insurgent positions within the mountainous terrain.

The preliminary missions reportedly created the conditions for troops of the 26 Task Force Brigade to move into the area and extract the captives from multiple locations.

The latest operation marks one of the largest rescue missions conducted by Operation Hadin Kai in recent months and is seen as a significant boost to ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating in Nigeria’s North-East region.

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Prior to the latest breakthrough, military authorities had announced the rescue of several groups of abductees from the same Ngoshe attack during separate operations across the Mandara Mountains. Those earlier missions were part of sustained offensives designed to weaken insurgent strongholds and recover civilians held against their will.

Despite the success of the operation, military sources disclosed that two infants died during the evacuation process due to the difficult terrain encountered while moving the rescued victims to safety.

The challenging landscape of the Mandara Mountains, characterised by steep slopes and inaccessible routes, has remained one of the major obstacles confronting troops in counterterrorism operations in the area.

A military source said all rescued civilians underwent immediate medical screening upon arrival at a secure location.

“Those requiring urgent medical attention were stabilised by brigade medical personnel and admitted to the General Hospital, Gwoza, for treatment,” the source said.

The victims were also provided with food, water and other humanitarian assistance before being moved to a secure holding facility for documentation, profiling and eventual reunification with their families.

Security officials described the operation as both a humanitarian and military success, noting that it not only secured the freedom of hundreds of civilians but also dealt another blow to terrorist groups operating in the region.

Military authorities said sustained pressure from ground offensives, intelligence-led operations and air interdiction missions continues to degrade terrorist capabilities across the North-East.

They added that troops remain on high alert and are maintaining operational momentum to rescue more captives, destroy terrorist enclaves and prevent future attacks on vulnerable communities.

The latest rescue is expected to bring relief to families affected by the Ngoshe attack and reinforce confidence in ongoing efforts to restore peace and security across Borno State and the wider North-East region.

Troops Rescue 360 Abducted Women, Children in Borno