Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, have rescued 360 abductees from a fortified Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) enclave in the Mandara Mountains of southern Borno State in what the military described as one of its largest hostage rescue operations in recent years.
In a statement by Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani, Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, the military said the rescued victims — comprising men, women and children — had been held captive after being abducted from several communities, particularly around the Ngoshe axis.
The operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering, covert reconnaissance and operational planning. According to the statement, military intelligence personnel combined human intelligence, signals intelligence and surveillance operations to identify the exact location of the hostages and map the insurgents' defensive positions.
The military said a breakthrough was achieved after intelligence operatives penetrated the terrorist network, providing information on the location of the captives, the disposition of insurgent commanders and internal security arrangements within the enclave.
Acting on the intelligence, Special Forces and Sector 1 troops launched a coordinated multi-directional assault under the cover of darkness. The operation, supported by real-time surveillance, achieved tactical surprise and overwhelmed the insurgents before they could mount an organized resistance, the military said.
Several terrorists reportedly fled into the surrounding mountainous terrain, while others surrendered. Troops subsequently secured and evacuated the hostages from the enclave.
The military said two infants died from exhaustion linked to the harsh terrain and the conditions of their prolonged captivity. The remaining abductees were evacuated to safe locations where they are receiving medical attention and humanitarian support.
The military high command described the operation as a major setback for the terrorist group and a demonstration of the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations. It also assured the public that follow-up clearance operations are ongoing to neutralize fleeing insurgents, dismantle support networks and prevent future abductions.
The rescue comes amid intensified military operations across the North East aimed at weakening terrorist groups and restoring security to affected communities.
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