360 kidnapped women, children freed from Boko Haram captivity

FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, Jun 7:  More than 400 women and children abducted earlier this year by the militant group Boko Haram have been freed in northeastern Nigeria, according to local officials and community leaders.

Samaila Kaigama said his organization secured the release of all 416 women and children who were kidnapped from Ngoshe village in Borno State. The captives were released on Saturday after months in captivity. The release was also confirmed by Mohammed Ali Ndume.

Separately, the Nigerian military announced that an intelligence-led rescue operation had freed 360 abductees who had been held under harsh conditions by Boko Haram fighters. Military officials said the operation relied on intelligence gathering and psychological tactics designed to create mistrust within insurgent ranks before the rescue phase was launched.

A spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu said two infants died from exhaustion during the ordeal due to the harsh conditions and prolonged captivity.

The victims were reportedly abducted from communities around the Ngoshe area, near the border with Cameroon, a region that has experienced repeated attacks by Boko Haram. The militant group had reportedly demanded millions of naira in ransom for the captives, although Nigerian authorities maintain that they do not pay ransom demands.

Kidnappings remain a major tactic used by Boko Haram and other armed groups operating in Nigeria. Since the insurgency began in 2009, tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced across the country’s northeast.