Nigerian Troops Rescue Woman, Child Abducted by Terrorists in Borno, Kill One Insurgent

Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued two civilians who were abducted by terrorists during an attack on Ngoshe community in Borno State, while also neutralising one insurgent during ongoing operations in the North-East.

The military reported that the rescue took place during Operation Desert Sanity V/Siege Operations, which targets terrorist strongholds in the region. The freed victims were identified as 20-year-old Maryam Muhammad and her infant son, Bello Muhammad, aged one year and four months.

According to military sources, the mother and child were among residents seized when terrorists attacked Ngoshe community on March 3, 2026. They were rescued by troops operating in the Amuda general area.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims had been held captive inside a terrorist enclave in the Mandara Mountains. They managed to escape after intense military bombardments targeted insurgent hideouts, forcing their captors to abandon them. Following medical assessment, the rescued pair were reunited with their family through the Ngoshe community leadership.

In a separate offensive operation in Wulgo, Gumsari, and Hausari areas, troops discovered makeshift terrorist medical facilities equipped with transfusion materials and antibiotics, as well as ammunition and a uniform belonging to a terrorist commander. One insurgent was killed during the operation, with no casualties on the military side.

Sustained military pressure has also compelled family members of terrorists to flee and surrender. In the Gwoza axis, a 50-year-old woman named Ghwa’a Biwa escaped from a terrorist camp in the Mandara Mountains and surrendered to troops. She cited persistent military operations and lack of basic necessities as reasons for her escape.

Similarly, 19-year-old Binta Umaru and her two-year-old daughter, Hafsat Ibrahim, surrendered after fleeing another enclave within the same mountain range.

All surrendered individuals have been screened and documented, and are undergoing further profiling. The military high command commended the troops and vowed to sustain pressure on terrorist groups to restore lasting security in the North-East.