Soldiers rescue 53 hostages, recover eight vehicles in Borno

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have rescued 53 civilians and recovered eight vehicles after dismantling a suspected ISWAP/JAS roadblock along the Buratai–Kamuya road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.

The Nigerian Army disclosed this in a statement posted on its X handle on Friday and signed by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI, Capt. Mohammed Goni.

According to the statement, the operation was carried out on Wednesday, June 24.

“The encounter took place when troops deployed at Dutse Kura sighted terrorists blocking the highway through surveillance cameras.

“A Quick Reaction Force (QRF) team immediately mobilized to the scene and pursued the insurgents toward the Mangari–Dora general area, made contact and engaged the terrorists in a firefight, forcing them to withdraw in confusion.

“During the operation, troops successfully rescued 53 innocent civilians and also recovered 8 vehicles seized by the terrorists,” the statement read.

It added that the troops cleared the terrorists’ withdrawal route, dominated the area and conducted further searches, although no additional contact was made.

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“All rescued persons, recovered vehicles and properties were safely moved to Buratai town. The rescued civilians are currently undergoing documentation and medical evaluations,” the statement added.

The military commended the troops for what it described as their professionalism and swift response during the operation.

The command also urged residents within the theatre of operations to remain vigilant and continue providing security agencies with timely information on suspicious activities.

Borno State remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s long-running insurgency, which began in 2009 when Boko Haram launched its violent campaign against Western education and the Nigerian state.

The state has experienced persistent insecurity, including attacks on civilians and military formations.

This latest rescue adds to a series of recent successes for Operation Hadin Kai, including the killing of 27 terrorists in the Southern and Northern Tumbus areas of Borno earlier this month.