In a series of coordinated missions under Operation DESERT SANITY, forces from the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have successfully liberated six women and children and taken into custody several individuals believed to be cooperating with terrorist networks. The operations occurred across multiple locations within the North East region.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the media information officer for OPHK, the rescue took place on May 12 following a targeted air interdiction mission near the Mandara Mountains. Acting on credible intelligence, troops moved on a suspected terrorist crossing point close to Amuda, where they found the abductees. The victims were identified as Aisha Musa, 18; Aisha Mohammed, 17; Fatima Yahaya, 20; Saudatu Musa, 4; Garba Mohammed, 5; and three-month-old Mohammed Yahaya. They had been seized from Ngoshe community during an attack by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists on March 3, 2026.
After their rescue, the group was taken to a military medical facility for medical attention. They were later reunited with their families through the Bulama of Ngoshe, Mallam Adamu Gunda. In a separate development on the same day, troops stationed at Tango 7 in Konduga Local Government Area apprehended a 40-year-old woman, Hauwa Bulama, on suspicion of having links with terrorist elements. Items recovered from her included detergent, washing soap, a torchlight, and seasoning cubes. Initial investigations suggest she was en route to Gezuwa to meet four of her children who are allegedly members of a terrorist group. She has been handed over to the appropriate authorities for further inquiry and possible prosecution.
Furthermore, personnel from Sector 2 OPHK, with assistance from military intelligence, arrested two more suspects—Bakura, 18, and Adiza, 17—during a follow-up operation in Damaturu. These arrests were connected to an earlier operation that intercepted a suspected ammunition courier named Ba’akaka Abubakar, also known as Modogol, who was allegedly trying to supply ammunition to terrorist groups. Preliminary findings indicate that Adiza had been assigned to collect the ammunition from the courier and deliver it to a terrorist commander. The suspects remain in custody as efforts continue to track down the commander and recover the ammunition.
The Joint Task Force has reiterated its dedication to ongoing campaigns aimed at dismantling terrorist networks, freeing kidnapped civilians, and restoring peace in the North East. The military high command praised the troops for their professionalism, resilience, and sustained operational tempo in the fight against insurgency.