Borno authorities receive over 400 survivors after military rescue
More than 400 women and children, previously abducted by Boko Haram insurgents, were handed over to local authorities in Borno State on Monday. The survivors had been rescued during coordinated military operations over the weekend in a remote area near the Cameroonian border.
Since 2009, the ongoing jihadist insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast—first led by Boko Haram and later by its splinter faction, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP)—has left thousands dead and displaced millions across the region.
Mass abductions remain a grim tactic employed by these armed groups, often involving ransom demands for releases. Military officials confirmed that the recent rescues were achieved through intelligence-driven operations rather than negotiated settlements.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State reported that approximately 360 individuals were freed during the weekend, with an additional 82 rescued in the weeks prior. The total count now stands at around 434 survivors, all of whom were abducted from Ngoshe, a village near Gwoza’s mountainous terrain—a known stronghold of Boko Haram.
Speaking from the Pulka displacement camp, 43-year-old Hassana Buba expressed gratitude for her liberation, stating, “We thank Allah for this rescue. We are overjoyed and celebrating this moment.”
While authorities deny paying ransoms, reports suggest such payments are commonplace—both from government sources and victims’ families. Between July 2024 and June 2025 alone, over $1.66 million was reportedly paid to armed groups, including jihadists, bandits, and separatists, according to independent analyses.