Troops foil Boko Haram, ISWAP mass abduction in Borno, rescue 31 travellers

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have foiled a mass abduction by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists along the Buratai–Kamuya Road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, rescuing 31 travellers and recovering four vehicles.

The development was contained in a post shared by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, via his X handle.

According to Makama, the incident occurred at about 3:45 p.m. on July 31 when troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion stationed at Echo 1, Dutsen Kura, detected suspicious movement through a closed-circuit television, CCTV, surveillance system.

He said CCTV footage captured suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists abducting civilians travelling in four vehicles along the Buratai–Kamuya Road.

The troops immediately deployed a Quick Reaction Force, QRF, which pursued the insurgents towards the Mangari–Dora axis and engaged them in a gun battle.

The terrorists were forced to abandon the abducted victims and the four vehicles before fleeing into nearby bush paths.

The operation led to the rescue of 31 civilians, comprising 22 men, five women and four children, with no casualties recorded among the victims or troops.

Troops also recovered a motorcycle abandoned by the fleeing terrorists during the operation.

Following the rescue, troops dominated the area and carried out exploitation operations but made no further contact with the insurgents.

The rescued travellers, alongside the recovered vehicles and other personal belongings, were escorted to Buratai, where they were reunited and allowed to continue their journey.

According to the report, no casualties were recorded among the troops, while there were no confirmed terrorist casualties during the operation.