In a major breakthrough against insurgency in the northeast, troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued 12 teenage girls abducted by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Borno State.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, that the girls were freed during a coordinated military operation carried out on Saturday in Mussa district, Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
The victims had been kidnapped on November 23 while harvesting crops in the area, a tactic insurgents have increasingly used to target vulnerable civilians working on farmlands.
Details of the operation remain sketchy, but sources said the troops acted swiftly on intelligence and successfully overpowered the terrorist elements, ensuring the safe return of all 12 girls.
Military authorities are expected to release an official statement on the rescue. Meanwhile, the rescued teenagers have reportedly been taken for medical evaluation and debriefing.
The operation marks another significant step in ongoing efforts to protect rural communities and dismantle ISWAP strongholds across the region.
