Troops Rescue Six Abducted Women, Children as Pressure Mounts on Boko Haram Enclaves

Troops Rescue Six Abducted Women, Children as Pressure Mounts on Boko Haram Enclaves

By Tada Jutha, Gombe

Troops of the North-east Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai has rescued six women and children abducted by Boko Haram in Borno State, in what the military described as a breakthrough linked to intensified offensives against insurgent strongholds.

The rescue took place in the Amuda-Gava axis of Gwoza Local Government Area following sustained ground and air operations targeting terrorist hideouts in the Mandara Mountains.

According to the Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt-Col. Sani Uba, the victims were intercepted and rescued in the early hours of 1 May while troops were returning from a successful overnight offensive.

“Acting on credible intelligence, troops intercepted and rescued six women and children around Amuda, a deserted community between Ngoshe and Gava known for terrorist transit activities,” Mr Uba said on Sunday in Maiduguri.

The rescued victims were identified as Zainab Idris, 18; Fatima Abubakar, 17; Maimuna Abdulrashid, 24; and three minors – Muhammad Idris, Sadiq Abdullahi, 7, and Fatima Abdulrashid, 5.

Military authorities said preliminary findings indicate that the victims were among over 400 residents abducted during an attack on Ngoshe, a border community near Cameroon, on 3 March 2026. The victims had reportedly been held in captivity at a terrorist enclave in Gava before managing to escape.

Mr Uba disclosed that troops came under sporadic gunfire from fleeing insurgents attempting to recapture the escapees but responded with superior firepower, forcing the attackers to retreat deeper into the Mandara Mountain range, which stretches towards Madagali in neighbouring Adamawa State.

He attributed the successful rescue to sustained military pressure on insurgent groups, noting that ongoing offensives have disrupted their operations and weakened their cohesion.

“Available intelligence suggests the terrorists are increasingly disoriented and desperate due to sustained losses and the escape of captives,” he said.

Following the operation, the victims received immediate medical attention at a military facility before being handed over to community authorities.

They were later reunited with their families in an emotional ceremony facilitated by the Wali of Ngoshe, Alhaji Shuaibu Dabawa, and attended by members of the community.

The military reaffirmed its commitment to rescuing all abducted individuals and dismantling terrorist networks across the northeast, urging residents to continue providing credible information to support ongoing operations.

It also commended the troops for their performance, encouraging them to sustain the momentum in the fight against insurgency.