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From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum and senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume have commended the military for rescuing 360 men, women and children, from a Boko Haram enclave in the Mandara Mountains of southern Borno State.
The 360 people, who were among nearly 400 civilians kidnaped by the terrorist group on March 4 after a bloody attack on Ngoshe in Gwoza Local Government of Borno State and seizure of the town, were freed on Saturday in an operation described by the military as one of the most significant hostage rescue missions in the North East.
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.
Zulum described the rescue operation as a remarkable demonstration of courage, professionalism and growing effectiveness of intelligence-led military effort in ending terrorist activities in the North East.
“The rescue of 360 abductees from the Boko Haram stronghold is a significant achievement. It underscores the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration and the determination of our security forces to ensure that no citizen is abandoned in the hands of insurgents and terrorists,” the governor said through a statement by his media aide, Malam Dauda Iliya.
Zulum had visited the Ngoshe residents taking refuge at Pulka, a nearby town on March 6, two days after their displacement by Boko Haram and abduction of about 400 people. The terrorists also killed dozens of residents and seized the town until the military recaptured it two weeks later.
The military earlier announced that two of the abductees, a woman identified as Maryam Muhammad and an infant, escaped from the terrorists’ camp last week.
The former Senate leader 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.
He 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.
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.
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He also acknowledged the contribution of Borno State Governor, Prof. Zulum, to the ongoing efforts to restore 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 of 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.
Lt Col Sani, in a statement yesterday, said the operation was a culmination of weeks of intelligence development, collaboration and monitoring of the terrorists activities in their enclave located within the Mandara Mountains near the Cameron border.
“The operation, which was the culmination of weeks of painstaking intelligence preparation, covert reconnaissance and operational planning, 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 said the operation was initiated following the receipt of credible intelligence about the terrorists’ location, support network for sustaining their enclave and their disposition.
The initial information received, according to the spokesman, helped the OPHK intelligence elements to launch an extensive target development process, involving combinations of Human Intelligence (HUMINT) and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT).
He said Reconnaissance (ISR) operations were conducted through unmanned aerial systems and long-range reconnaissance patrols.
“Through sustained intelligence collection and analysis, commanders developed a comprehensive understanding of the terrain, insurgent disposition, defensive arrangements, movement patterns and the condition of the abductees. This intelligence-driven approach enabled the force to accurately map the objective area, identify vulnerabilities within the terrorist network and significantly reduce risks to the hostages during the rescue mission,” he explained.
