A major military offensive in the North-East has led to the dramatic rescue of dozens of captives after armed fighters reportedly abandoned key strongholds under intense pressure.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued 47 persons, mostly women and children, from captivity in an Islamic State West Africa Province enclave in Kangarwa, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, in an operation conducted on June 20.
The Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the victims regained their freedom following sustained military offensives against t3rrorist hideouts in the Lake Chad region.
According to Goni, the rescue was made possible through intensified ground and air assaults on ISWAP strongholds, which forced the insurgents to abandon their positions in confusion, enabling the victims to escape from prolonged captivity.
The rescued persons are currently receiving medical attention at a secure location, with humanitarian support being provided in coordination with relevant agencies to facilitate their eventual reintegration.
Goni said the rescue underscored the military’s commitment to protecting civilians and degrading t3rrorist networks operating in the North-East, and affirmed that operations aimed at dismantling remaining ISWAP cells and restoring peace to the region would continue.
Borno State has remained the epicentre of insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East for over a decade, with thousands of civilians displaced, @bd*cted, or k!ll3d by Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters.
In recent months, the military has intensified operations across the Lake Chad basin and the Sambisa axis as part of broader efforts to weaken t3rrorist groups and secure affected communities.
