By By Elizabeth Ugbo
A nursing mother, 20-year-old Maryam Muhammad, and her one-year, four-month-old son, Bello Muhammad, have regained their freedom after troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation Hadin Kai, rescued them during an offensive operation in the Amuda area of Borno State. The rescue, announced on Thursday by the Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, followed sustained military attacks on terrorist hideouts that forced insurgents to abandon their positions and enabled the victims to escape captivity.
Troops Rescue Abductees From Terrorist Enclave
According to the military, Maryam and her son were among residents abducted when terrorists attacked Ngoshe community on March 3, 2026.
Lieutenant Colonel Uba said troops conducted the operation under Operation Desert Sanity V and Siege Operation in the Amuda general area.
He explained that the victims escaped from a terrorist enclave deep inside the Mandara Mountains after intense military fire missions disrupted the insurgents’ activities.
“In a major humanitarian breakthrough, troops of OPHK, while conducting offensive operations in the Amuda general area, successfully intercepted and rescued two abductees from the Ngoshe community,” the statement said.
Following the rescue, medical personnel examined the mother and child. Thereafter, authorities reunited them with their family members through community leaders in Ngoshe.
Military Offensive Targets Terrorist Hideouts
In a related operation, troops deployed in Wulgo and the proposed Combat Outpost (COP) Jagarawaji launched coordinated offensives alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
The forces carried out operations across Wulgo, Gumsari and Hausari communities.
During the operation, troops discovered evidence of terrorist activity. These included makeshift medical facilities containing blood transfusion materials, antibiotics, ammunition and a uniform believed to belong to a terrorist commander known as an Amir.
Furthermore, troops neutralised one terrorist during the offensive. No military casualty was recorded.
Women, Children Flee Terrorist Camps
Meanwhile, military authorities reported a growing number of insurgents’ family members escaping from terrorist camps due to sustained military pressure.
Among those who surrendered was 50-year-old Ghwa’a Biwa, who escaped from a terrorist camp in the Mandara Mountains and surrendered to troops of the 192 Battalion in the Gwoza axis.
According to the military, she cited continuous military offensives and worsening living conditions in the camps as reasons for her decision.
The military noted that shortages of food and other basic necessities have increased hardship within terrorist enclaves.
Similarly, 19-year-old Binta Umaru and her two-year-old daughter, Hafsat Ibrahim, escaped from another terrorist camp in the Mandara Mountains and surrendered to troops deployed along the Gwoza-Limankara Road.
Operation Hadin Kai Sustains Pressure on Terrorists
Military authorities confirmed that all surrendered individuals have undergone screening, documentation and profiling in line with established procedures.
Operation Hadin Kai stated that the latest successes highlight the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks, rescue abducted civilians and restore peace to affected communities.
The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining pressure on terrorist groups while intensifying rescue operations across the North-East.
Additionally, the Military High Command commended troops for their performance and urged them to sustain the momentum of ongoing operations in the interest of national security.
Military authorities said the operation reflects increasing pressure on terrorist enclaves, particularly around the Mandara Mountains and border communities, as security forces continue efforts to restore peace, security and economic stability in the region.
