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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Following the successful rescue of hundreds of residents of Ngoshe community who had been held captive by insurgents since March, former Senate leader and senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has commended the Nigerian military.
Ndume also called on the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to complement the efforts of the Borno State government in rebuilding the community and facilitating the return of displaced persons.
The Nigerian Army on Saturday rescued 360 abductees, including men, women and children, from a Boko Haram enclave in the Mandara Mountains of southern Borno State.
The operation was confirmed in a statement by the Acting Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani.
According to the military spokesman, troops of Operation Hadin Kai, comprising Special Forces and personnel of Sector 1, carried out the operation after weeks of intelligence gathering, covert reconnaissance and detailed operational planning.
He said the victims were rescued from a heavily fortified Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) camp deep within the Mandara Mountains.
“The operation resulted in the safe recovery of men, women and children who had been held in captivity under harsh conditions after being abducted from several communities, particularly within the Ngoshe axis,” Sani stated.
Investigations revealed that six of the abductees had earlier been rescued last month around Amuda, a deserted settlement located between Ngoshe and Gava.
Reacting to the development, Ndume described the military operation as a remarkable success and a demonstration of courage and patriotism by troops operating in difficult conditions.
“We must applaud the professionalism and spectacular patriotism of men and officers of the Nigerian Army who continue to exhibit outstanding courage in the face of obvious logistic challenges,” he said.
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The senator expressed appreciation to the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, the General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Maiduguri, and the Commander of 26 Task Force Brigade, Gwoza, for their roles in the operation.
He also acknowledged the contribution of Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum to ongoing efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in the state.
“I must not fail to mention the selfless efforts of the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, whose imprints could not be ruled out in the successful operation carried out by security forces at the weekend,” Ndume stated.
The lawmaker further commended the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar, for providing relief materials to the rescued victims and displaced residents.
He, however, urged the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to take a more active role in supporting the rehabilitation of Ngoshe and assisting residents willing to return home.
“We urge the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs to also rise to the occasion. It should seize the initiative to complement the efforts of the Borno State government in rebuilding Ngoshe.
“From my findings, with military presence in Ngoshe, the people want to leave the Internally Displaced Persons camps if the community can be made habitable for them,” he said.
Ndume further appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of other victims still being held by insurgents in parts of southern Borno.
He specifically called for renewed efforts to rescue schoolchildren abducted from Mussa in Askira/Uba Local Government Area and travellers kidnapped along the Biu-Buratai road.
The senator equally condemned the recent killing of soldiers and repentant Boko Haram volunteers in Mandaragra Village of Biu Local Government Area, describing the incident as unfortunate and a reminder of the need to sustain pressure on terrorist groups operating in the North-East.
