Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have rescued 47 persons, primarily women and children, from an Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) enclave in Borno State.
The successful rescue operation took place on June 20 in Kangarwa, Kukawa Local Government Area, following sustained military pressure on terrorist hideouts in the Lake Chad region.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Acting Military Information Officer for the Headquarters Joint Task Force North-East, Capt. Mohammed Goni, attributed the rescue to intensified ground and air assaults.
“The unrelenting ground and air offensives forced the terrorists to abandon their positions in confusion, enabling the victims to escape from prolonged captivity,” Goni said.
He noted that the operation was part of a broader effort to degrade the capabilities of insurgents while securing the release of civilians held against their will.
The military confirmed that the rescued individuals are currently receiving medical attention and humanitarian support at a secure facility.
“Necessary humanitarian support is being provided in coordination with relevant agencies to facilitate their eventual reintegration,” the statement added.
Borno State has been the epicenter of a decade-long insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East, characterized by mass displacements, abductions, and killings by Boko Haram and ISWAP.
In recent months, the Nigerian military has ramped up its “Operation Hadin Kai” offensive across the Lake Chad basin and the Sambisa forest axis to dismantle remaining terrorist cells and restore normalcy to affected communities.
The Theatre Command reaffirmed its resolve to sustain the current momentum, pledging to continue operations until peace is fully restored across the North-East region.
