Army said troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), comprising Special Forces and personnel of Sector 1, carried out the operation after weeks of intelligence gathering, covert reconnaissance and operational planning.
The Nigerian Army has announced the rescue of 360 abductees from a heavily fortified Boko Haram enclave in the Mandara Mountains of southern Borno State during what it described as one of the most significant hostage rescue operations in the North-East in recent times.
In a statement on Sunday, the Army said troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), comprising Special Forces and personnel of Sector 1, carried out the operation after weeks of intelligence gathering, covert reconnaissance and operational planning.
According to the Army, the rescued victims, including men, women and children, had been held in captivity under harsh conditions after being abducted from several communities, particularly around the Ngoshe axis of Borno State.
The military said the operation targeted a stronghold of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), a faction of Boko Haram operating in the region.
The Army stated that the mission was launched following the receipt of “credible and corroborated intelligence” from multiple sources identifying the exact location of the hostages and exposing what it described as an insurgent support network sustaining the enclave.
It said intelligence personnel subsequently carried out an extensive target development process involving Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations conducted through unmanned aerial systems and long-range reconnaissance patrols.
“Through sustained intelligence collection and analysis, commanders developed a comprehensive understanding of the terrain, insurgent disposition, defensive arrangements, movement patterns, and the condition of the abductees,” the Army said.
According to the statement, the intelligence-led approach enabled troops to map the objective area accurately, identify weaknesses within the terrorist network and reduce risks to the hostages during the operation.
The Army further disclosed that a major breakthrough came after intelligence assets allegedly penetrated the insurgent network under the supervision of Operation HADIN KAI military intelligence personnel.
The sources reportedly supplied information on the exact locations of the abductees, the positions of insurgent commanders, internal security arrangements and planned relocation routes.
The military added that coordinated information and psychological operations were simultaneously deployed to create uncertainty within the insurgents’ ranks, weaken cohesion among fighters and disrupt command-and-control structures ahead of the assault.
According to the Army, the intelligence advantage gave commanders what it described as “unprecedented situational awareness” and allowed them to shape the operational environment before launching the rescue mission.
The Army said the successful operation demonstrated the increasing operational reach, intelligence capability and tactical effectiveness of Operation HADIN KAI in combating insurgents and protecting civilians across the North-East theatre.
