Troops Rescue Five Abductees from Terrorist Enclave in Mandara Mountains
By Zagazola Makama
Troops of 82 Division Task Force Battalion, Operation HADIN KAI, have rescued five abductees who escaped from a terrorist enclave in the Mandara Mountains of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
A military source told Zagazola Makama that the victims were rescued at about 6:30 a.m. on August 10, 2026, during a perimeter clearance and fighting patrol around Amuda Bridge along the Ngoshe–Gava road.
The troops sighted the five escapees moving towards their position and immediately brought them to safety.
The rescued persons were identified as 23-year-old Aisha Haru, eight-year-old Hajiya Muhammed, 10-year-old Saratu Sule, nine-year-old Amina Sule and two-year-old Fatima Muhammad.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victims had escaped from a terrorist enclave in Chinene, within the Mandara Mountains.
Aisha Haru disclosed that she was abducted in 2018 and subsequently forced into marriage with one of the terrorists.
The escapees reportedly said disagreements among the terrorists created an opportunity for them to flee, particularly after several fighters abandoned the camp.
The military source said the latest rescue brings to 126 the total number of abductees rescued through the Gwoza East Corridor since the March 3, 2026 attack.
The victims were screened and documented before being handed over to the Ngoshe community head, Bulama Mallam Kunda, at the community camp.
The rescue forms part of ongoing military operations aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves in the Mandara Mountains and facilitating the recovery of civilians held captive by insurgents.
