Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have rescued 360 abducted persons from a Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) enclave located deep within the Mandara Mountains in southern Borno State, Home of Peace.
The operation was disclosed in a statement issued by the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani, who said the mission involved Special Forces and troops of Sector 1 and followed weeks of intelligence gathering, surveillance and planning.
According to the military, the victims, comprising men, women and children, were kidnapped from several communities, particularly around the Ngoshe axis, and held under difficult conditions by the insurgents.
The statement noted that the operation was launched after security agencies obtained credible intelligence on the location of the captives and the existence of a support network sustaining the terrorist camp. Military intelligence personnel reportedly combined Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities to gather information on the terrain, the insurgents’ positions and the condition of the hostages.
The military said a major breakthrough came after intelligence operatives successfully penetrated the terrorist network, providing details on the exact locations of the captives, the positions of insurgent leaders and their movement plans.
The statement added that information and psychological operations were also deployed to create confusion within the insurgents’ ranks and weaken their command structure before troops moved in.
Acting on the intelligence, Special Forces and Sector 1 troops carried out a coordinated multi-directional assault aimed at isolating the target area and preventing the terrorists from escaping or receiving reinforcement.
The military said, “Supported by real-time ISR feeds, assault forces infiltrated the objective area under the cover of darkness while blocking forces established positions along likely escape routes.”
It added that the troops achieved complete surprise during the raid, forcing several insurgents to abandon their positions and flee into the surrounding mountains, while others surrendered.
The rescued victims were immediately secured, screened and evacuated from the area. The military disclosed that two infants died from exhaustion linked to the difficult terrain and the harsh conditions they endured during captivity.
The statement said, “The remaining rescued abductees were successfully evacuated to safe locations for medical care and humanitarian support, marking a major operational success and a significant setback for the terrorist group.”
Commending the personnel involved, the Military High Command praised their courage, professionalism and discipline throughout the operation.
The military further stated that the rescue reflected “the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations, the growing synergy among security stakeholders, and the unwavering resolve of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to protect innocent citizens and restore lasting peace to affected communities.”
It assured Nigerians that follow-up operations were ongoing to track down fleeing terrorists, dismantle their support networks and prevent future abductions in the region.