Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have rescued 12 teenage girls abducted by members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Mussa District of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Borno State.
The victims, aged between 15 and 20, were kidnapped on November 23 while harvesting crops on their family farmlands. The abduction caused widespread panic across the district, forcing several residents to flee to neighbouring communities for safety.
Those rescued include: Fatima Shaibu (17), Fatima Umaru (15), Hauwa Abubakar (18), Saliha Muhammed (15), Sadiya Umaru (17), Amira Babel (15), Zara Adamu (17), Nana Shaibu (15), Zainab Musa (18), Zainab Muhammed (17), Jamila Saidu (15) and Hauwa Hamidu (17).
Security sources told Zagazola that the girls were moved to a secure military facility for medical evaluation and profiling. They are expected to be reunited with their families after completing standard post-rescue procedures.
The successful operation comes amid intensified military offensives across southern Borno, where troops have sustained clearance operations targeting ISWAP fighters responsible for recurring attacks, raids and abductions in rural communities.
Parents and relatives of the rescued girls expressed deep relief after a week-long ordeal marked by anxiety and uncertainty.
They described the rescue as a “major emotional breakthrough” and commended the military for its swift action.
