Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, OPHK, have rescued six women and children abducted by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in Ngoshe village, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The rescue was confirmed in a statement issued on Friday by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East, Lt. Col. Sani Uba.
According to the statement, the victims were rescued during a coordinated operation following sustained offensive actions, including air interdiction missions targeting terrorist hideouts in the Mandara Mountains.
Uba said troops, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted and rescued the victims in the early hours of May 1, 2026, around Amuda, a deserted area between Ngoshe and Gava known for terrorist activities.
The rescued persons were identified as Zainab Idris (18), Fatima Abubakar (17), Maimuna Abdulrashid (24), Muhammad Idris (1), Sadiq Abdullahi (7), and Fatima Abdulrashid (5).
Preliminary findings showed that the victims were abducted during an attack on Ngoshe community on March 3, 2026, and had been held in captivity in a terrorist enclave before escaping.
The statement added that troops came under sporadic fire as fleeing terrorists attempted to pursue the escapees, but were repelled after a brief exchange.
The military said increased pressure on terrorist groups has weakened their operations, leading to disarray and escape attempts by captives.
The rescued victims were given medical attention before being handed over to community leaders and reunited with their families.
The Armed Forces of Nigeria reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining operations aimed at rescuing abducted persons and eliminating terrorist threats in the North-East.
