Troops of 144 Battalion have successfully rescued 25 hostages held captive by Boko Haram terrorists, the Nigerian Army has disclosed.
According to a statement by the Army spokesperson Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu on Monday, the troops in conjunction with a Hybrid Force, extricated 14 hostages in a clearance operation at Gobara village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno state on Saturday 26 August 2023.
He said that the rescued persons included six women and eight children.
The Army spokesperson said that in a similar operation on Sunday 27 August 2023, troops of 82 Task Force Battalion in conjunction with Hybrid Force, raided the BHT enclave in Gava Village in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State and rescued 11 civilians.
According to him, all rescued victims are presently in troops’ custody undergoing profiling.
In another operation also on 27 August 2023 by the military, seven members of a BHT family surrendered to troops of the 81 Division Task Force Battalion in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State. The family comprised three adults and four children, according to the Army.
Also, Nwachukwu stated that in an anti-banditry operation on 27 August 2023 in Kaduna State, troops of 2 Battalion, Nigerian Army, acting on actionable information neutralized one criminal and freed four kidnap victims in Kwana Shehu Village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He added that the rescued victims have since been reunited with their families.
The Army enjoined members of the public to support the troops with credible information to enhance ongoing operations across the country.