Troops Secure Release of Five Borno Captives After Three Months

Personnel serving under Operation Hadin Kai have successfully liberated five individuals, among them three children, who had reportedly been held hostage following a terrorist assault on the Ngoshe community within Borno State's Gwoza Local Government Area.

Information from security sources indicates that this rescue mission occurred on June 19, 2026, around 11:40 AM. It was carried out by soldiers from the 82 Division Task Force Battalion during a routine perimeter clearance patrol in the Bakasi area. These sources further detailed that the patrolling troops observed five individuals moving aimlessly in a bushy terrain close to Ngoshe, raising suspicions that they might have fled from Boko Haram or ISWAP terrorists.

The identities of those rescued were confirmed as Fatima Adamu, aged 80; Maryam Yakubu, 55; Abubakar Ibrahim, 12; Musa Ibrahim, 11; and Fadima Adamu, 8. Subsequent to their discovery, the military personnel undertook additional clearance operations extending approximately 500 metres to secure the vicinity before heading back to their base. An initial inquiry established that the victims are indeed residents of Ngoshe community, having been kidnapped during a terrorist raid on the locality on March 3, 2026.

After receiving preliminary medical attention from the soldiers, the freed individuals were then transferred to the community head, Mallam Bulama Kunda, for the process of reuniting them with their respective families. The armed forces commented that while the overall security climate in the North-East region is currently calm, it remains largely unpredictable. They affirmed that troops maintain a high level of vigilance and operational readiness in their continuing counter-terrorism efforts.