In one of the largest hostage rescue missions recorded in the North-East in recent years, troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have rescued 360 abducted persons from a terrorist hideout in the Mandara Mountains area of southern Borno State.
The operation, carried out by Special Forces and troops of Sector 1, led to the safe recovery of men, women, and children who had been held captive by members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), commonly known as Boko Haram.
Military authorities said the victims were abducted from several communities, particularly around the Ngoshe axis, and kept under harsh conditions within a heavily fortified insurgent enclave deep inside the mountainous terrain.
The successful rescue followed weeks of intelligence gathering, covert reconnaissance, and detailed operational planning aimed at locating the hostages and dismantling the terrorist network sustaining the camp.
According to military sources, the operation was launched after credible intelligence from multiple channels revealed the precise location of the abductees and exposed the support structures enabling the insurgents to operate in the area.
Intelligence operatives subsequently conducted extensive target development activities using a combination of Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets, including unmanned aerial systems and long-range reconnaissance patrols.
The intelligence effort enabled commanders to gain a detailed understanding of the terrain, the disposition of insurgents, their defensive positions, movement patterns, and the condition of the captives. This information helped troops accurately map the objective area and minimise risks to the hostages during the rescue operation.
Military authorities disclosed that a breakthrough came after intelligence assets penetrated the terrorist network, providing real-time information on the exact location of the hostages, the positions of insurgent commanders, internal security arrangements, and planned relocation routes.
In addition, coordinated information and psychological operations reportedly sowed distrust within the insurgent ranks, weakening their cohesion and disrupting command structures ahead of the assault.
The military said the intelligence advantage gave commanders an exceptional level of situational awareness and allowed them to shape the battlefield before launching the final rescue mission.
The operation, according to OPHK, highlights the growing effectiveness of ongoing counter-insurgency efforts in the North-East and demonstrates the military’s increasing ability to penetrate terrorist networks, protect vulnerable communities, and deny insurgents freedom of movement across the theatre.
