Relief and emotional reunions swept through parts of Borno State after troops of Operation HADIN KAI foiled terrorist attacks and rescued several kidnapped civilians during multiple operations across the North East.
Residents of the Buratai community were thrown into panic when suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters attempted to abduct travellers along the Buratai-Kamuya road. However, swift military intervention forced the attackers to abandon their captives and flee into the surrounding bushes.
Two of the rescued victims, Mallam Idris Adamu and Mallam Muhammadu Safiyanu, were later reunited with their families, bringing visible relief to loved ones who had feared the worst.
Military authorities said the rescue operation followed the detection of suspicious terrorist movements along the route. “After detection of terrorist activities, troops swiftly pursued, compelling the terrorists to abandon their victims and withdraw into the bushes,” said the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba.
In a separate but related operation, troops also responded to a distress call along the Chibok-Damboa axis, where nine kidnapped victims were successfully rescued, further easing fears among residents in communities long troubled by insurgent attacks.
The rescues came days after troops prevented what could have been a deadly midnight assault on the Forward Operating Base in Auno on February 5. Soldiers engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to retreat before any significant damage was done.
According to Uba, the troops later pursued the fleeing insurgents in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force during a counter-offensive along the Komala axis in Konduga Local Government Area. The operation led to the killing of 16 terrorists, while others reportedly escaped with severe injuries.
Beyond the battlefield victories, the military said it recovered bicycles, weapons, and supplies believed to be vital to terrorist operations, while also arresting suspected logistics suppliers allegedly transporting drugs intended for insurgents around the Bukarti axis.
Uba noted that the operations reflect the military’s determination to protect civilians and restore safety across communities affected by insurgency. He said the actions had “significantly degraded terrorist capabilities, disrupted their logistics, and reaffirmed OPHK’s unwavering commitment to dismantling terrorist networks across the North East region.”
For families in Buratai and other affected communities, however, the operations meant something deeper: the safe return of loved ones and renewed hope after years of living under the shadow of insurgency.
