Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, have freed 360 men, women and children from a heavily fortified Boko Haram enclave deep in the Mandara Mountains of southern Borno State, northeast Nigeria.
The military authorities described the operation as one of the most significant hostage rescue missions in the region in recent years.
The rescue was carried out by Special Forces and troops of Sector 1 after weeks of intelligence gathering, surveillance and operational planning.
The abductees, many of whom were taken from communities around the Ngoshe axis, were held under harsh conditions before being recovered on Thursday.
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According to Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani, the spokesperson for Operation HADIN KAI, the mission began after credible intelligence pinpointed the exact location of the hostages and mapped an insurgent support network sustaining the camp.
“OPHK intelligence elements integrated human ontelligence, signals intelligence and persistent drone surveillance to build a complete picture of the terrain, terrorist positions, defensive arrangements and the condition of the abductees,” Lt. Col. Sani said in a statement.
Military intelligence assets also penetrated the group, providing real-time updates on hostage locations and insurgent movements.
Coordinated information operations further created confusion within the terrorist ranks, weakening their command structure ahead of the assault.
Acting on confirmed intelligence, Special Forces launched a multi-axis night operation to isolate the camp and block escape routes.
Supported by live drone feeds, troops achieved total tactical surprise. Several insurgents fled into the mountains while others surrendered.
The hostages were secured, medically screened and evacuated immediately.
Two infants, weakened by exhaustion from the difficult terrain and prolonged captivity, died during evacuation.
The remaining 358 rescued persons are receiving medical care and humanitarian support at secure locations.
The Military High Command praised the courage, professionalism and discipline of all personnel involved.
“The successful rescue of 360 abductees reflects the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations, growing synergy among security stakeholders, and the Armed Forces’ unwavering resolve to protect citizens and restore peace,” Lt. Col. Sani quoted the High Command as saying.
Follow-on clearance and exploitation operations are ongoing to neutralise remaining terrorist elements and dismantle support networks in the Mandara axis.
The operation underscores Operation HADIN KAI’s expanding intelligence dominance and ability to deny terrorists freedom of action across the North East theatre.
