From the Heart of Boko Haram Strongholds: Nigerian Army Frees 360 Hostages in Borno
The Nigerian army announced on Sunday that it had rescued 360 hostages held by Boko Haram militants following a security operation based on precise intelligence in Borno State.
In a statement reported by Reuters, the military said that security forces conducted a joint operation that forced members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad—the official name of the main Boko Haram faction—to abandon their positions deep within the Mandara Mountains in southern Borno State.
According to the statement, the hostages, including women and children, had been held in a mountainous hideout after being abducted from various communities across the region over different periods of time.
An Intelligence-Led Operation
The army stated that the rescue mission was carried out by a joint task force that included special forces units, which successfully reached the militants’ strongholds and freed the captives.
However, the operation was not without human losses. The military reported that two children among the hostages died from exhaustion and the harsh conditions they endured during their captivity.
The operation comes as Nigerian authorities continue efforts to address the country’s numerous security challenges, ranging from conflicts between herders and farmers in central Nigeria to the activities of kidnapping gangs, terrorist organizations, and armed militias operating in the north.
Official Confirmation
Local official Samaila Kaigama told AFP that another operation had secured the release of hundreds of women and children who had been abducted from the village of Ngoshi near the Cameroon border.
Nigerian Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume also confirmed the release operation in statements to Agence France-Presse.
The village of Ngoshi lies less than ten kilometers from the Cameroonian border and has repeatedly been targeted by attacks carried out by extremist groups over recent years.
An Ongoing Threat
Since 2009, northeastern Nigeria has experienced severe violence perpetrated by Boko Haram and the terrorist group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the displacement of millions more.
Mass kidnappings for ransom have also become one of the primary sources of funding for terrorist organizations and armed groups in the country, placing security issues at the forefront of national concerns ahead of the presidential election scheduled for next January.
