Nigerian troops have pulled off one of the biggest rescue operations in recent memory — freeing 358 civilians, mostly women and children, from terrorist camps hidden in the Mandara Mountains of Borno State.
The operation happened on June 6, 2026, when soldiers launched a multi-axis raid across the rugged terrain in Gwoza Local Government Area. The attack caused chaos within terrorist networks, allowing ground troops to reach the captives, who had been held since an attack on Ngoshe community on March 3, 2026.
But the rescue came at a cost. Two infants died from the extreme hardship of the mountain terrain during the operation. The remaining 358 survivors were rushed to the General Hospital in Gwoza for medical treatment, fed, and kept in a secure holding area before being handed over to local authorities.
Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, gave the update on Tuesday in Abuja. He said that across all theatres of operation in the last one week, troops rescued a total of 398 kidnapped victims, arrested 31 terrorists, and neutralised 10 others.
In the North West, troops of Operation Fansan Yamna recorded major gains in Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara States. On June 5, 2026, at a snap checkpoint on the Gusau–Shinkafi road in Zamfara, soldiers stopped a vehicle and found a locally made 9mm pistol, 1,002 rounds of 7.62mm by 39mm ammunition, 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and 10 rounds of 9.4mm ammunition — all hidden inside a sack of millet.
The suspect, Mallam Mustapha Abubakar, is believed to be an arms dealer. During questioning, he said the weapons were meant for an unidentified contact in Shinkafi LGA. Troops tracked and arrested the intended recipient at Tupa village in the same area.
On the same day, troops on patrol in Birnin Tsaba, Boko, and Tsanu villages in Birnin Magaji LGA of Zamfara engaged terrorists, killed one, and recovered seven motorcycles. No soldier was hurt.
On June 7, 2026, at Tudun Wada village in Maru LGA, troops on patrol clashed with terrorists, arrested eight suspects, and recovered seven motorcycles. They also found 30 phone batteries, 19 mobile phones, 41 power banks, seven phone chargers, four Baofeng handheld radios, four pairs of camouflage uniforms, and three pairs of boots. A shop belonging to the terrorists was destroyed.
On June 9, 2026, in Kanoma District of Maru LGA, troops responded to a terrorist attack on communities, engaged the attackers at Kanoma Hill, killed one, and recovered an AK-47 rifle with ammunition and two motorcycles.
In Kaduna State, on June 8, 2026, troops at Angwan Garke village in Giwa LGA recovered four motorcycles that terrorists had stolen during an earlier attack. Separately, they confirmed that seven terrorists killed in that incident had been found in the forest.
In Katsina State, on June 4, 2026, troops cordoned and searched a suspected terrorist hideout at Dangani village in Musawa LGA, recovering an abandoned motorcycle believed to belong to a fleeing suspect.
In the North East, troops of Operation Hadin Kai kept pressure on remnants of Boko Haram and ISWAP through fighting patrols, clearing enclaves and cutting off supply lines. Between June 5 and June 11, 2026, they carried out several interceptions across Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.
On June 5, 2026, during clearance operations in the Amuda area of Gwoza LGA, troops safely recovered an 8-year-old child, Ali Musa, who had escaped from a terrorist enclave in Saha. The next day, three more women and children were rescued in the same area after military bombardments forced their captors to abandon camp.
On June 11, 2026, another three abductees were found wandering in the bush around Amuda, having broken free from the Saha and Chinene hideouts due to relentless operations on the Mandara Mountains. All escapees received medical screening and first aid before being reunited with their communities.
One terrorist, 20-year-old Fannami Ali, surrendered to troops in Monguno town on June 5, 2026, handing over a bicycle, a wristwatch, a torchlight, and N2,500 in cash.