Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have rescued 92 abducted civilians and recovered eight vehicles in the Buratai-Kumaya axis of Sambisa Forest in Borno state. The operation took place along the 130-kilometre Damaturu-Biu road.
Details of the Rescue Operation
According to military sources in Maiduguri, the rescued individuals include 52 males, 33 females, and seven children from various communities in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. The Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lt-Col. Sani Uba, stated that the ground troops demonstrated unrelenting commitment to civilian protection by executing a swift and decisive rescue operation.
How the Operation Unfolded
At approximately 11:22 a.m., troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion deployed at Dutse Kura detected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists forcibly herding civilians and vehicles off the road into the surrounding bush using their surveillance system. The unit's Quick Reaction Force was immediately mobilised, while reinforcement troops from 27 Task Force Brigade Garrison were simultaneously activated to join the rescue.
Converging on the terrorists in a well-coordinated pursuit towards the Mangari-Dora general area, OPHK troops engaged the insurgents and forced them to abandon their captives and flee in confusion. All 92 kidnapped victims, along with eight vehicles, were successfully recovered.
Terrorists' Failed Ambush
In a desperate bid to delay the advancing troops, the fleeing terrorists covertly emplaced three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along the Bula Zarma, Mangari general area in a calculated ambush attempt. However, the plot failed completely. The unit's Explosive Ordnance Disposal team responded with precision and successfully detonated all three devices, clearing the route and enabling troops to press the pursuit approximately five kilometres beyond the Mangari general area.
Subsequent search operations were conducted across the area, but the terrorists, having abandoned their captives, vehicles, and tactical objectives, had scattered in complete disarray.
No Casualties Among Troops
OPHK troops sustained zero personnel or equipment casualties throughout the operation. The rescued civilians were consolidated, provided immediate welfare support, and escorted by troops all the way to Damaturu, where they were released to continue their journey.
Lt-Col. Uba emphasised that this operation once again affirms the operational reach, surveillance capability, and combat readiness of OPHK. It serves as an unambiguous message that any attempt by terrorists to harm, kidnap, or intimidate civilians will be met with swift and overwhelming force across the entirety of the North East Theatre.
