…Army covert ops leads to massive hostage sweep on Mandara Mountains
By Abu Adamu
In one of the largest and most successful hostage rescue missions recorded in Nigeria’s North-East counterinsurgency campaign in recent years, troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have rescued 360 abductees from a notorious terrorist enclave hidden deep within the rugged Mandara Mountains of southern Borno State.
The military operation, carried out by Special Forces and troops of Sector 1, targeted a heavily fortified camp belonging to Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), a faction of the Boko Haram insurgency. The rescued victims comprised men, women, and children who had been held captive under harsh conditions after being abducted from several communities, particularly within the Ngoshe axis of the state.
Military authorities described the operation as one of the most significant intelligence-led rescue missions conducted in the North East Theatre, underscoring the growing operational reach and tactical superiority of Operation HADIN KAI in dismantling terrorist networks and protecting vulnerable communities.
According to the military, the rescue mission was launched following the receipt of credible intelligence from multiple sources that pinpointed the exact location of the hostages and exposed an elaborate insurgent support structure sustaining the enclave.
The intelligence breakthrough triggered weeks of painstaking planning involving the integration of Human Intelligence (HUMINT), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations. The surveillance effort included the deployment of unmanned aerial systems and long-range reconnaissance patrols to monitor terrorist movements and gather real-time information.
Military sources said the intelligence process enabled commanders to develop a comprehensive understanding of the difficult terrain, insurgent dispositions, defensive arrangements, movement patterns, and the condition of the captives before launching the operation.
The detailed mapping of the objective area, security experts noted, significantly reduced risks to the hostages while enhancing the effectiveness of the assault force.
A major breakthrough reportedly came after military intelligence operatives successfully penetrated the terrorist network through carefully cultivated intelligence assets embedded within the insurgent environment.
These assets supplied critical information on the precise locations of the abductees, the positions of insurgent commanders, internal security arrangements, and planned relocation routes for the hostages.
At the same time, coordinated information and psychological operations were deployed to sow confusion and mistrust within the terrorist ranks, weakening their cohesion and disrupting command-and-control structures.
Military authorities said the combination of intelligence penetration and psychological operations provided troops with unprecedented situational awareness, allowing commanders to shape the battlefield well ahead of the final assault.
The successful operation marks another significant setback for insurgent elements operating within the Mandara Mountains, long regarded as one of the most difficult terrains for security operations in the North-East.
Security analysts say the rescue highlights the increasing effectiveness of intelligence-driven military operations in the fight against terrorism and demonstrates the Nigerian military’s determination to deny insurgents safe havens while securing the release of civilians held in captivity.