Military Reunites Teenager Rescued from Insurgents with Family in Maiduguri
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have reunited a 15-year-old boy rescued from an insurgency-affected area with his family after years of separation caused by terrorist activities in Borno State.
Security sources said the teenager, identified as Isah Umaru, was formally handed over to his father, Mr Umar Mustapha, in Maiduguri after undergoing screening and identification procedures.
According to the sources, the handover was conducted by troops of the 192 Battalion (Mechanised) on June 18.
The sources said Isah was earlier rescued by troops operating from the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Pulka on June 14 during operations around the Pulka axis of Gwoza Local Government Area.
Mr Mustapha reportedly told military authorities that he had left his son with the boy’s mother in Chikide village in the Mandara Mountains about 12 years ago before the community was overrun by ISWAP insurgents.
He said the terrorist attack led to the separation of family members and uncertainty over the fate of the child for several years.
The successful reunion followed thorough verification processes conducted by the military to establish the identity of the teenager and his family.
Security sources described the development as part of ongoing humanitarian efforts by Operation Hadin Kai to rescue civilians affected by insurgency and facilitate their reintegration with relatives and communities.
The military has continued to record successes in the rescue of captives and vulnerable persons during ongoing operations against insurgent groups across the North-East.
