Nigerian security forces rescue more than 300 abductees
Nigeria's government says the rescue is the country's largest single-day operation by joint security forces.
Nigerian security forces have successfully rescued over 300 individuals who were abducted in separate incidents, marking what the country's presidency has hailed as its most extensive single-day operation by combined security forces.
The rescue operation took place in Niger State's Kainji Lake National Park and involved the military, police, an intelligence unit, and the National Counter-Terrorism Centre. Among those freed were 163 people kidnapped during a February assault on the Woro community in Kwara State, an attack that also resulted in numerous fatalities. Additionally, at least 145 others who had been taken in Niger State were rescued.
Details regarding any arrests made during the operation were not immediately available. The rescued individuals are currently receiving medical attention at a military facility before being reunited with their families.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga stated, "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu warmly welcomes the successful rescue of 308 Nigerian citizens who were abducted in different attacks in Niger and Kwara states," further describing it as "the largest rescue operation ever carried out" in a single day. President Tinubu lauded the operation as evidence of enhanced collaboration among Nigeria's security agencies.
The February attack on Woro village in Kwara State saw armed jihadists attempting to compel residents to reject the Nigerian government and its constitution in favor of their own doctrines, effectively seeking to establish an alternative system of governance in the region. Amnesty International reported that many of the deceased victims were discovered with their hands and feet bound, some with their throats slit, and others shot. The Nigerian government has attributed this attack to Boko Haram, though the jihadist group has not issued any statement regarding the incident.
This rescue operation follows weeks after 44 students and teachers, abducted during a school attack in Oyo State, were released after more than 50 days in captivity, following a month-long security effort. The increasing frequency of abductions, including those in north-central and southern Nigeria, has sparked renewed concerns that insecurity is extending beyond the nation's traditional conflict areas.