Army rescues six abductees, arrests terror collaborators in North-East

The Nigerian Army has said troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, rescued six abducted women and children, neutralised terrorists, and arrested suspected collaborators during sustained operations across the North-East theatre.

The Army disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba.

According to the statement, the troops recorded the successes under Operation DESERT SANITY through “sustained clearance operations” and coordinated offensives across the theatre.

The Army said troops, acting on “credible intelligence,” carried out an operation at a suspected terrorist crossing point along the Amuda–Gava corridor in the Mandara Mountains axis on May 14, 2026.

During the operation, troops “successfully intercepted and rescued six abducted women and children” from Ngoshe community who had been held captive by Boko Haram/ISWAP elements.

The rescued victims were identified as Amina Salihu, 52; Aishatu Musa, 50; twin sisters Hassana and Hussaina Abubakar, both aged nine; Adamu Zakariyya, 12; and Usman Zakariyya, 10.

The statement said the victims were received by the Commander, 26 Task Force Brigade, Brigadier General Nasirudeen Abdullahi, and were “provided with medical attention at the Brigade Medical Reception Station” before being reunited with their families through the community leader, Mallam Bulama Kunda, and the Chief Imam of Ngoshe, Mallam Auwalu Hudu.

It added that the commander assured residents that troops would “sustain ongoing rescue operations until all abducted persons are safely reunited with their families.”

The Army further stated that “a total of Sixty women and children have been rescued” since the attack on Ngoshe community on March 3, 2026.

According to the statement, prayers were also offered for the troops by the Chief Imam “while troops continue to maintain an aggressive posture in the area.”

In other coordinated operations, the Army said troops recorded “additional successes including the neutralisation of terrorists during aggressive operations in Konduga Local Government Area,” alongside the arrest of suspected collaborators in Konduga and Yobe State axes.

The statement disclosed that troops of Sector 1 carried out operations at Bazamri village in Konduga LGA, resulting in “the neutralisation of two Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.”

Recovered items included “logistics supplies such as detergent, salt, and a carton of spaghetti,” which the military said were believed to be meant for insurgents.

The Army added that “no own troops’ casualties were recorded,” while troops had “repositioned to sustain offensive pressure.”

It also stated that troops deployed at Mainé checkpoint in Yobe State arrested a suspected Boko Haram collaborator, Ibrahim Alhaji Julo, 30, while conducting operations based on “credible intelligence.”

The suspect was intercepted in “a red Golf vehicle with registration number KTG-397AA (Bauchi State),” while preliminary investigations indicated that he was allegedly “using his vehicle to convey terrorist elements and facilitate illegal tax collection within communities.”

Recovered from the suspect were “a mobile phone and some amount of money,” while he and the exhibits remain in custody for further investigation.

The Joint Task Force assured the public of its “unwavering commitment to sustaining aggressive operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks, rescuing abducted civilians, denying terrorists freedom of action, and restoring lasting peace, security and economic stability across the North East region.”

The military high command also commended troops for their “utmost professionalism, resilience, and sustained operational success,” urging them to maintain the current momentum.