Troops rescue 86 kidnapped victims, arrest 29 suspects in Borno, Yobe
By: Alkali Muhammad Musa
Troops of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have rescued 86 kidnapped victims and apprehended 29 suspected Boko Haram logistics suppliers during coordinated operations in Borno and Yobe states.
The OPHK Media Information Officer, Lt-Col. Uba Sani, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Maiduguri.
He said the operation, conducted on Nov. 9, 2025, by troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion under Sector 2, was executed at the Dutse Kura hideout within the Sambisa Forest.
Sani explained that the troops intercepted the terrorists while they attempted to abduct commuters and seize vehicles along the Buratai–Kamuya road.
He said the soldiers pursued the fleeing insurgents towards a hideout near Mangari village, where they discovered 11 makeshift structures used to hold captives.
According to him, the rescued victims, mostly women and children, were abducted from various routes, including Damaturu–Biu and Maiduguri–Biu highways.Recovered items during the operation included one AK-47 rifle, five magazines loaded with ammunition, PKT belts, five civilian vehicles, five motorcycles, two tricycles, and eight bicycles used for logistics.
The troops subsequently destroyed the terrorists’ hideout after the rescue.Lt-Col. Sani said the successful operation had disrupted the terrorists’ supply chain and restricted their movement within the Sambisa axis and major routes in Borno and Yobe states.
He added that the mission was accomplished without any casualties among the Special Forces. The military high command commended the troops for their gallantry and urged them to sustain their momentum in restoring peace and stability in the North-East.
