Troops rescue 360 abductees from boko haram stronghold in Borno

*Rescued abductees undergoing screening after troops of Operation HADIN KAI stormed a Boko Haram stronghold in the Mandara Mountains, Borno State.*

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have rescued 360 abductees from a heavily fortified Boko Haram stronghold in the Mandara Mountains of southern Borno State, the military disclosed on Sunday.

The rescued victims, comprising men, women and children, were reportedly among residents abducted from communities in the Ngoshe axis of Gwoza Local Government Area during terrorist attacks earlier this year.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani, the military described the mission as one of the most significant hostage rescue operations conducted in the North-East theatre in recent times.

According to the statement, the successful operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering, covert reconnaissance and detailed operational planning aimed at locating and safely recovering the hostages.

“The operation, which was the culmination of weeks of painstaking intelligence preparation, covert reconnaissance, and operational planning, resulted in the safe recovery of men, women and children who had been held in captivity under harsh conditions after being abducted from several communities, particularly within the Ngoshe axis,” the statement said.

The military explained that the operation was launched after credible intelligence from multiple sources revealed the location of the hostages and exposed an insurgent support network sustaining the terrorist enclave.

Operation HADIN KAI said its intelligence personnel conducted extensive target development through the integration of Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations using unmanned aerial systems and long-range reconnaissance patrols.

The statement noted that the intelligence-driven approach enabled commanders to gain a detailed understanding of the terrain, insurgents’ positions, defensive arrangements, movement patterns and the condition of the abductees before the assault.

It added that a major breakthrough came through the successful penetration of the terrorist network by intelligence assets working under the supervision of military intelligence personnel.

According to the military, the intelligence operatives supplied actionable information on the exact locations of the abductees, insurgent commanders, security arrangements and planned relocation routes.

The statement further disclosed that coordinated information and psychological operations helped create uncertainty and mistrust within the insurgents’ ranks, weakening their cohesion and disrupting command and control structures.

Acting on the intelligence gathered, Special Forces and troops of Sector 1 launched a coordinated multi-axis operation designed to isolate the objective area, dominate key terrain and prevent insurgent reinforcement or escape.

Supported by real-time surveillance feeds, assault troops infiltrated the area under the cover of darkness while blocking forces secured likely withdrawal routes.

“The operation achieved complete tactical surprise, overwhelming the terrorists before an organised response could be mounted,” the statement said.

Faced with the speed and precision of the operation, several insurgents reportedly fled into the surrounding mountainous terrain, while others surrendered to the advancing troops.

The rescued hostages were immediately secured, medically screened and evacuated from the area.

However, the military disclosed that two infants died from exhaustion caused by the difficult mountainous terrain and the hardships endured during their prolonged captivity.

Operation HADIN KAI said the rescue demonstrated its growing operational reach, intelligence dominance and commitment to protecting vulnerable communities while denying terrorists freedom of action across the North-East.