The Joint Task Force in the North East, Operation HADIN KAI, operating under the banner of Operation DESERT SANITY V/SIEGE OPERATIONS, has successfully freed individuals abducted by Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters. The hostages were taken during an assault on the Ngoshe settlement, situated in Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State.
Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the media information officer for the task force, disclosed that military personnel also captured multiple Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, along with individuals who provided them with support, during relentless offensive missions throughout the region. He further reported that a soldier who deserted his post, Private Umar Bema from the 50 Task Force Battalion, was apprehended in Maiduguri. Bema had fled with his service weapon and is now under investigation for potential involvement in armed robbery.
The operations achieved notable successes, including the liberation of kidnapped citizens, elimination of insurgents, and the surrender of some family members linked to the militants. Specifically, troops rescued two victims: Maryam Muhammad, a 20-year-old woman, and her infant son, Bello Muhammad, aged 1 year and 4 months. They had been abducted in the March 3, 2026, raid on Ngoshe.
According to Uba, the pair were detained in a terrorist camp concealed within the Mandara Mountains. They managed to escape after sustained military pressure weakened the insurgents’ strongholds. Following medical checks, they were safely returned to their relatives through the assistance of local community leaders.