Troops rescue Imam, 13 others from Boko Haram captivity, arrest six kidnappers
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Troops rescue Imam, 13 others from Boko Haram captivity, arrest six kidnappers
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued 14 abducted persons, including the Chief Imam of Ngoshe, Mallam Sadiq, arrested six suspected members of a kidnap syndicate and secured the surrender of three terrorists in separate operations across Adamawa and Borno states.
The Defence Headquarters, DHQ disclosed this in its latest operational update covering September 11 to 17, 2026, released by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja on Friday.
The military said the operations were part of sustained offensive actions against terrorists, kidnappers, collaborators and other criminal networks operating across the North-East.
In Adamawa, troops on September 13 raided a suspected kidnappers’ hideout around Soktu Hill in Song Local Government Area and arrested six suspected members of a kidnap syndicate.
According to the DHQ, preliminary interrogation showed that the suspects operated around Soktu, Dumne and Maigero areas and had kidnapped more than seven people.
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The suspects reportedly confessed to killing some victims who were unable to meet ransom demands.
The operation in Borno also produced a major breakthrough in the military’s effort to recover victims held by terrorists around the Mandara Mountains.
Between September 12 and 13, troops rescued 14 abductees around Armuda and Gava in Gwoza Local Government Area.
One of the rescued victims was Mallam Sadiq, the Chief Imam of Ngoshe, who had been abducted during an attack on the town on March 3, 2026.
The military also reported the escape of three persons from terrorist captivity between September 15 and 17.
They included a woman who had spent five months in captivity and two children who had reportedly been held for six months at Suyaka Camp on the Mandara Mountains.
Two members of a family were also rescued along the Gwoza-Limankara Road on September 11.
During the rescue operations, troops targeted terrorist collaborators and intelligence networks believed to be supporting attacks on military formations and supply routes.
A suspected informant was arrested at Kadauri in Kaga Local Government Area on September 11 for allegedly providing terrorists with information about military convoy movements.
Another suspect was arrested along the Dikwa-Ajiri Main Supply Route on September 15 while allegedly preparing to plant an improvised explosive device near a military outpost.
Two suspected collaborators were also arrested at Monguno on September 12.
In Kukawa, troops arrested a suspect who had earlier fled the community to join terrorists but subsequently returned to visit his family.
A further arrest was made in Dikwa on September 16, where a suspected collaborator was accused of mobilising women for the emplacement of IEDs at military locations.
Meanwhile, the military said a repentant terrorist surrendered at Benisheikh in Kaga Local Government Area on September 13 with an AK-47 rifle, a hand grenade and an IED.
Two other terrorist fighters from the Bula Daloye enclave surrendered in Bama Local Government Area on September 17 with three AK-47 rifles and other weapons.
The latest operations came as the military continued to combine offensive patrols, intelligence gathering, rescue operations and efforts to dismantle terrorist support structures in the North-East.
The DHQ said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, commended the troops for their courage and professionalism and urged communities, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to provide credible intelligence to the security agencies.
The military said the operations would continue until terrorist groups are denied the freedom to operate across the theatre.
