Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, in collaboration with personnel of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force, have foiled an attempted mass abduction by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists at the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno, Borno State.
The military disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the attack occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on July 19 at the school, which is currently being used by the Borno State Government as a temporary hostel for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.
According to the statement, the terrorists allegedly gained access to the facility with the assistance of suspected collaborators in an attempt to abduct the students.
It said security personnel on duty immediately engaged the attackers, while troops from Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force reinforced the school, forcing the terrorists to abandon the operation and flee.
The military said parts of the school infrastructure were damaged during the exchange of gunfire, but the attempted abduction was successfully thwarted.
Following the operation, troops evacuated all 46 students to Kinnasara Barracks in Monguno, where they received medical attention.
The statement said all the rescued students were medically stable and confirmed that no student was abducted.
However, the military disclosed that some students were killed after being struck by sporadic gunfire fired by the terrorists during the firefight.
Operation HADIN KAI expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and assured residents that efforts were ongoing to protect lives and critical public institutions across the North-East.
It added that troops had commenced operations to identify and arrest suspected collaborators, while security forces were pursuing the fleeing terrorists.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining operations against terrorist groups and ensuring the safety of schools and other critical infrastructure in the region.