Troops of Operation Hadin Kai on Monday repelled an attempted mass abduction by insurgents along the Buratai–Kamuya axis of Borno State, rescuing more than 150 civilians during the operation.
The Media Information Officer of the Northeast Joint Task Force, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, disclosed in a statement that the troops came under attack at about 2:50 p.m. while escorting travellers in the area but successfully foiled the attempt by terrorists linked to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.
According to the statement, surveillance assets detected the insurgents attempting to move a large number of abducted civilians—men, women and children—into the bush using about 17 vehicles during the attack.
Uba said troops under Sector 2, deployed at Dutse Kura, responded swiftly to the assault, while a Quick Reaction Force reinforced the location and launched a pursuit towards the Mangari area.
He explained that sustained pressure from the troops forced the insurgents to abandon both the captives and vehicles, effectively thwarting the mass kidnapping attempt.
“All rescued civilians, estimated at over 150, were safely recovered and moved to Buratai for onward movement to reunite with their families,” he said.
During the pursuit operation, however, troops encountered an improvised explosive device along the Bula Zarma–Mangari axis, leaving five personnel severely injured. The wounded soldiers were evacuated for specialist medical treatment.
Uba noted that the rescue mission demonstrated the troops’ vigilance and rapid response capability, reaffirming the military’s commitment to protecting civilians and sustaining offensive operations against terrorist elements in the Northeast, particularly ahead of the Easter period.
He added that the military high command commended the troops for their gallantry and urged them to maintain pressure on insurgent groups across the theatre of operations.
