Several hundred individuals, abducted earlier this year by the jihadist group Boko Haram in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State, have been successfully freed, according to statements from the military and local community representatives.

Since 2009, a relentless jihadist insurgency, spearheaded first by Boko Haram and later by its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has devastated Nigeria’s populous northeast. This protracted conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.

Mass abductions, often culminating in ransom payments, remain a pervasive tactic employed by these Islamist groups. Samaila Kaigama, who heads the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), stated that his organization secured the release of 416 women and children who had been kidnapped from Ngoshe.

Tragic loss of two infants

“They were released on Saturday,” Kaigama informed reporters. Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing Borno State, independently verified the liberation.

However, in a separate statement released later that day, the military clarified that 360 individuals were freed not directly by Boko Haram, but through a strategic “operation” conducted by armed forces, leveraging critical intelligence.

The military elaborated on their method, stating they had gathered vital intelligence and executed “psychological operations” designed to sow “mistrust among the insurgents” prior to initiating the “assault phase.”

According to the army’s communiqué, the victims had been held “under arduous conditions after being abducted from various communities, particularly along the Ngoshe axis.”

Daniel Bwala, spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, echoed the figure of 360 freed individuals, adding a somber note on social media: “Regrettably, two infants perished from exhaustion due to their prolonged captivity and the harsh circumstances.”

Ransom payments: a persistent issue

Ngoshe village, situated less than 10 kilometers from the Cameroonian border within the Gwoza hills, serves as a known stronghold for Boko Haram and has endured incessant assaults from Islamist militants.

The youth organization’s leader stated he was unaware of the specific circumstances surrounding the release. BOSYA, which had previously established communication channels between the abductors and affected families, did not offer further details.

While official authorities consistently deny paying ransoms, analysts frequently assert that such payments are a common practice, made by both the government and the families of those abducted.

A report from Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence revealed that approximately 1.66 million dollars was paid in ransoms between July 2024 and June 2025. These payments were made to various armed factions across Nigeria, encompassing not only jihadist groups but also criminal “bandits” and separatist movements.