Maiduguri, Nigeria – In a remarkable operation, 387 men, women, and children were rescued by the elite forces of Sector-One North-East Joint Taskforce Operations in Kai. The mission, spearheaded by Brigadier General Diwa, also led to the recovery of several vehicles and pieces of equipment that had been seized by insurgents from the Nigerian Army during the height of the insurgency.
The jubilant troops were welcomed at the entrance of Sambisa in Awulari, Konduga Local Government Area, by the Acting Commander of Sector One, Abubakar Haruna. He issued a stern warning to the terrorists, declaring that they must either surrender or face death, as their known camps and enclaves have been systematically destroyed.
“The operations, initially planned to last four days, extended to ten days due to the complexity and the determined effort to ensure all captives were freed,” Haruna explained.
Among those rescued was Hajara Danjuma, the wife of a Boko Haram fighter. She recounted her harrowing experience, saying, “We were living in Maiduguri before my husband disappeared without a trace. Tired of being called the wife of Boko Haram, I left for my parents’ house in Gombe. One day, his colleagues came and forcefully took me to the bush. That’s how I ended up in Sambisa. I have seven children, besides the two I left in Maiduguri. I couldn’t run because of the children, but when I saw the soldiers, I walked to them with my children and those of my co-wife, who had died in the forest. My husband left home three days before the army arrived at our camp.”
The rescued individuals, along with the recovered equipment, have been transported to the command headquarters in Maiduguri. From there, they will be delivered to the Nigerian Army headquarters in Abuja for further processing and assistance.
This successful operation underscores the continued efforts of the Nigerian military to combat insurgency and restore peace and security to the region.