Nigeria’s military announced Sunday that it successfully rescued 360 individuals who had been kidnapped by the terrorist organization Boko Haram in the southern portion of Borno state, located in the country’s northeastern region.
Military officials said the rescue mission took place in the Mandara mountains, an area that serves as a key stronghold for the extremist organization. The operation resulted in the liberation of numerous victims, including children, who had been taken from various communities throughout Borno state.
According to army spokesperson Haruna Sani, two infants died from exhaustion caused by the difficult mountain conditions and the harsh treatment they experienced during their extended imprisonment.
“The remaining rescued abductees were successfully evacuated to safe locations for medical care and humanitarian support, marking a major operational success and a significant setback for the terrorist group,” Sani said.
The West African nation continues to grapple with severe security issues, particularly in northern regions where more than ten years of insurgent activity and operations by armed criminal organizations conducting kidnappings for money and unauthorized mining have worsened the country’s safety concerns.
The most notable Islamic extremist organizations include Boko Haram and a splinter group that has ties to the Islamic State group and goes by the name Islamic State West Africa Province.
In the previous month, the West African nation reported that a combined military operation with the United States resulted in the deaths of 175 ISWAP militants.
According to United Nations data, the northeastern insurgency has resulted in thousands of deaths and forced millions from their homes. Security experts argue that the government has not taken sufficient action to safeguard citizens, despite repeated commitments from President Bola Tinubu to address the crisis.
