Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have rescued six abducted civilians in Ngoshe community, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, following military operations in the Mandara axis.
The rescue, carried out by the Joint Task Force (North East), took place in the early hours of May 1, 2026.
The victims were intercepted around Amuda, a deserted corridor between Ngoshe and Gava known for terrorist movements.
Military sources said the troops encountered the victims while returning from a successful overnight offensive targeting insurgent enclaves in the Mandara Mountains.
The rescued victims were identified as Zainab Idris (18), Fatima Abubakar (17), Maimuna Abdulrashid (24), Muhammad Idris (1), Sadiq Abdullahi (7), and Fatima Abdulrashid (5).
According to preliminary findings, the victims were abducted during a terrorist attack on Ngoshe on March 3, 2026. They had been held in captivity in Gava before managing to escape.
Troops reportedly came under sporadic gunfire from fleeing terrorists attempting to recapture the victims. Soldiers responded swiftly, engaging the attackers in a brief exchange and forcing them to retreat into the mountainous terrain.
The military attributed the successful rescue to sustained operational pressure on terrorist groups in the region, including recent air interdiction missions that have disrupted their coordination and weakened their capabilities.
Intelligence assessments indicate growing instability within insurgent ranks, driven by operational losses and the escape of captives, including a teenage girl reportedly forced into marriage by a commander.
Following the rescue, the victims received immediate medical attention at a military facility before being handed over to community authorities.
They were later reunited with their families in Ngoshe during a ceremony facilitated by the Wali of Ngoshe, Shuaibu Dabawa.
The Armed Forces of Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing operations aimed at rescuing abducted persons and dismantling terrorist enclaves across the North-East.