- Troops intensify hunt for suspects in Plateau, Kaduna
By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The Nigerian Army has confirmed the rescue of 360 kidnapped persons who were being held captive by terrorists in Borno State.
The Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), Lieutenant Colonel Haruna Sani, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to Sani, the victims were rescued from a Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) enclave located deep within the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza Local Government Area of the state.
He said the rescued captives, comprising men, women and children from Ngoshe community, had been held by the terrorists before troops successfully secured their freedom.
Sani described the operation as one of the most significant hostage rescue missions carried out in the North-East theatre in recent times.
He noted that the successful operation underscores the military’s commitment to dismantling terrorist strongholds and securing the release of civilians held in captivity.
Gwoza Local Government Area has witnessed repeated attacks by terrorist groups over the years, with residents frequently targeted for abduction and other violent crimes.
The military has continued sustained offensives across the North-East aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities and restoring normalcy to affected communities.
Meanwhile, troops of Operation Enduring Peace have rescued several kidnap victims and thwarted multiple abduction attempts in Plateau and Kaduna states, while intensifying efforts to apprehend fleeing suspects involved in the attacks.
The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Captain Chinonso Oteh, disclosed this during a briefing with journalists in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
He said the operations, carried out over the past 48 hours, demonstrated the military’s resolve to ensure the safety of residents and travellers within the Joint Task Force’s area of responsibility.
According to Oteh, troops of Sector 6 deployed in Sopp District, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, responded to reports of suspected kidnappers who had blocked the Hawan Kibo–Rafin Sayin highway at about 12:30 a.m. on June 5, 2026.
Upon arrival, the troops discovered an ash-coloured Honda vehicle with registration number APP-93CF abandoned on the road and immediately launched a search-and-rescue operation in the surrounding bush.
The operation led to the rescue of six kidnapped passengers. “The rescued victims disclosed that they boarded the commercial vehicle in Lafia, Nasarawa State, and were travelling to Jos when they were abducted,” Oteh said.
He explained that while the passengers had been rescued, the driver of the vehicle remained missing, with troops continuing efforts to locate and rescue him.
In a separate operation, troops of Sector 5 in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State foiled another kidnap attempt following a distress call from Faggem village on June 5.
Oteh said the troops swiftly mobilised to the area, forcing the kidnappers to abandon their victims and flee into a nearby forest.
The operation resulted in the rescue of a pastor and his wife, who had been abducted by the criminals. The couple, who sustained injuries during the attack, were evacuated to the Bokkos Medical Clinic for treatment, while troops launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects.
In Kaduna State, troops of Sector 7 deployed at Ungwan Gora in Sanga Local Government Area responded in the early hours of June 6 to reports of suspected terrorists blocking the road between Rafi Tagwai and Angwan Dariya.
According to the task force spokesman, troops discovered that several passengers travelling in a commercial vehicle had been kidnapped by the attackers.
Security personnel recovered eight empty cases of 7.62mm special ammunition at the scene before pursuing the suspects into the adjoining forest. The operation led to the rescue of two injured passengers, while efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining victims.
The rescued passengers were evacuated to a hospital in Fadan Karshi District for medical attention.
Oteh assured residents that the Joint Task Force would sustain its operations against criminal elements and continue efforts to secure highways and communities across the region.
He also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and support security agencies with timely and credible information on suspicious activities.
