By SCM Reporter
In a major breakthrough in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria’s North-East, frontline troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have successfully rescued ninety-two (92) kidnapped victims from the clutches of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists.
The high-stakes rescue operation took place along the notorious Buratai–Kamuya road in the Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, a region that has long been a flashpoint for insurgent activities.
This disclosure was contained in an official press statement released on Saturday by the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba.
According to the military spokesperson, the successful operation underscored the military’s renewed commitment to clearing transit routes of remnants of terrorists and ensuring the safety of commuters.
Giving a breakdown of the rescued hostages, Lt. Col. Uba revealed that the victims comprised fifty-two (52) adult males, thirty-three (33) females, and seven (7) children.
They were reportedly being moved across the state by the terrorists before troops intercepted the convoy.
”The troops acted on credible intelligence, intercepting the terrorists who were transporting the victims,” Uba stated. “Alongside the ninety-two rescued individuals, eight vehicles belonging to the victims, which had been commandeered by the insurgents, were successfully recovered and secured by the troops.”
Beyond the rescue of the citizens, the military spokesperson noted that the troops averted what could have been a catastrophic tragedy for unsuspecting commuters and local residents.
In a synchronized clearance operation, the gallant troops detected and successfully detonated three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by the terrorists along the Bula Zarma and Mangari general areas.
Military experts note that the planting of IEDs has become a desperate fallback strategy for ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters, who are increasingly losing their ability to launch direct, open assaults on military formations due to sustained aerial bombardments and aggressive ground patrols.
The Buratai–Kamuya axis in Biu Local Government Area holds deep strategic significance in the theater of war in the North-East. Buratai is the hometown of the former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, making it a perennial target for symbolic and vengeful attacks by insurgents over the last decade.
Despite multiple attempts by terrorists to establish a stronghold in the area, the military has consistently maintained a heavy presence to keep the commercial artery open.
This latest success comes on the heels of intensified clearance operations across the fringes of the Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad basin.
Over the past few months, Operation HADIN KAI has shifted its strategy toward “kinetic chokehold” operations—cutting off the logistics supply lines, food routes, and fuel reserves of the terrorists.
The rescue of ninety-two citizens in a single operation is viewed by security analysts as a severe blow to the operational morale of the terrorists, who rely heavily on mass abductions to secure ransom payments to fund their logistics and to forcibly conscript young men and children into their ranks.
The Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI has consistently assured the public that the military will not rest until the last remnants of the terrorist factions are completely neutralised.
Meanwhile, the rescued victims are currently receiving medical attention and undergoing profiling at a secure military facility before they will be officially handed over to the Borno State Government for reunification with their respective families.
Residents of Biu and surrounding communities have been urged to remain vigilant and to continue providing timely, actionable intelligence to security agencies to sustain the current momentum in the war against terror.
