Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force (JTF) under Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have rescued 92 abducted civilians withe the  recovery of eight vehicles in the Buratai-Kumaya axis of Sambisa Forest in Borno state.

The military sources said in Maiduguri  that the rescued abducted persons comprise 52 males, 33 females and seven children from the various communities of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

In a statement released by the Media Information Officer of the OPHK, Lt-Col. Sani Uba disclosed; “The ground troops have demonstrated their unrelenting commitment to the protection of civilians by executing a swift and decisive rescue operation that freed 92 kidnapped victims from Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists along the 130-kilometre Damaturu-Biu road.

Uba further revealed:  “At approximately 11:22 a.m alerted troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion deployed at Dutse Kura detected BH/ISWAP terrorists forcibly herding civilians and vehicles off the road and 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.”

The information officer added that  all 92 the kidnapped victims, comprising 52 males, 33 females and 7 children, along with 8 vehicles, were successfully recovered.

In a desperate bid to delay the advancing troops, the fleeing terrorists covertly emplaced three IEDs along the Bula Zarma, Mangari general area in a calculated ambush attempt. 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, their vehicles and their tactical objectives had scattered in complete disarray.

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.

He said This operation once again affirms the operational reach, surveillance capability and combat readiness of OPHK and 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.