The Nigerian military has rescued 360 abductees, including women and children, from a heavily fortified Boko Haram enclave in the Mandara Mountains of southern Borno State in what security officials describe as one of the most significant hostage rescue operations in recent years.
According to a report by Channels Television, troops of Operation HADIN KAI carried out the mission after weeks of intelligence gathering, surveillance and operational planning.
Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani said the rescued victims had been held under harsh conditions after being abducted from several communities, particularly around the Ngoshe axis of Borno State.
Intelligence-Led Operation
The military said the operation relied on a combination of Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), unmanned aerial surveillance and long-range reconnaissance patrols.
According to the statement, intelligence operatives successfully penetrated the insurgent network, providing precise information on hostage locations, terrorist positions and planned movements. Psychological and information operations were also deployed to create confusion within insurgent ranks before the assault.
This intelligence advantage enabled commanders to map the area accurately, identify weaknesses in the terrorist network and reduce risks to the hostages during the rescue mission.
Night Assault Achieved Tactical Surprise
Acting on confirmed intelligence, Special Forces and Sector 1 troops launched a coordinated multi-axis assault under the cover of darkness.
Blocking forces were positioned along likely escape routes while assault teams infiltrated the target area with support from real-time surveillance feeds.
Military authorities said the operation achieved complete tactical surprise, causing several insurgents to flee into surrounding mountainous terrain while others surrendered.
The hostages were secured, medically screened and evacuated to safe locations.
Tragic Losses During Evacuation
Despite the successful rescue, the military reported that two infants died from exhaustion linked to the difficult mountainous terrain and the hardships endured during captivity.
Separately, the Borno South Youth Alliance said four babies born while their mothers were in captivity had died from infections. The group added that the mothers are currently receiving treatment at a government medical facility.
Its president, Samaila Ibrahim-Kaigama, confirmed that all abductees from Ngoshe were released on Saturday night.
Military Vows Further Operations
The Armed Forces praised the troops involved, describing the rescue as evidence of the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations and growing cooperation among security agencies.
Military authorities said follow-up clearance operations are continuing to eliminate remaining terrorist elements, dismantle support networks and prevent future abductions in the North-East.
The rescue marks a significant setback for the Boko Haram faction known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), which has maintained strongholds in parts of the Mandara Mountains along Nigeria’s border region.
