Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have rescued six abducted civilians and their subsequent reunion with family members in Ngoshe community, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
Media Information Officer, Lt-Col. Sani Uba in a statement issued Saturday said the rescue operation followed sustained offensive actions, including recent air interdiction missions targeting terrorist enclaves in the Mandara Mountains.
Acting on credible intelligence, he noted, the troops while returning from a successful overnight offensive operation in the early hours of 1 May 2026, intercepted and rescued six women and children around Amuda — a deserted area between Ngoshe and Gava known for terrorist transit activities.
Uba added that the he rescued victims were identified as Mrs. Zainab Idris (18), Fatima Abubakar (17), Maimuna Abdulrashid (24), Muhammad Idris (1), Sadiq Abdullahi (7), and Fatima Abdulrashid (5).
He stressed that preliminary debriefings revealed that they were among residents abducted during the terrorist attack on Ngoshe community on 3 March, 2026 and had been held in captivity at a terrorist enclave in Gava before escaping.
Uba said: “During the rescue, troops came under sporadic enemy fire as fleeing terrorists attempted to pursue the escapees. The troops responded decisively, engaging the terrorists in a brief exchange of fire, forcing them to withdraw into the mountainous terrain.
“The successful rescue operation is also linked to intensified operational pressure on terrorist elements, which has significantly degraded their cohesion and heightened internal disarray. “Intelligence indicates that the terrorists are increasingly desperate and paranoid, following sustained losses and the escape of captives, including a 16-year-old girl who had been forcefully married to one of their commanders.”
Uba explained that following the rescue, the victims were immediately administered first aid and medical checks at a military facility before being formally handed over to community authorities.
He stressed that at about 1400 hours the same day, they were successfully reunited with their families through the Wali of Ngoshe, Alhaji Shuaibu Dabawa, in an emotional ceremony witnessed by community members.