Ali Ndume
Former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has commended the Nigerian military and Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, for the successful rescue of 360 abducted residents of Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The victims, who had reportedly been held in insurgent captivity since March, regained their freedom on Saturday following a coordinated operation by troops under Operation Hadin Kai.
Confirming the development in a statement, the Acting Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani, disclosed that troops comprising Special Forces and personnel of Sector 1 stormed a heavily fortified Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) enclave located deep within the Mandara Mountains in southern Borno State.
According to Sani, the operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering, covert reconnaissance, and meticulous planning, leading to the safe rescue of men, women, and children abducted from several communities, particularly within the Ngoshe axis.
He noted that the victims endured harsh conditions while in captivity.
Checks further revealed that six abducted civilians had earlier been rescued last month around Amuda, a deserted area situated between Ngoshe and Gava communities.
Reacting to the development, Ndume described the military operation as remarkable and praised the professionalism, resilience, and patriotism displayed by the troops.
“We must applaud the professionalism and spectacular patriotism of the men and officers of the Nigerian Army, who continue to exhibit outstanding courage in the face of obvious logistic challenges,” he said.
The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District also expressed appreciation to the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Maiduguri, and the Commander of the 26 Task Force Brigade, Gwoza, for their contributions to the successful operation.
Ndume also credited Governor Zulum for his commitment to restoring peace and stability in Borno State, noting that the governor’s efforts significantly contributed to the success achieved by the security forces.
“I must not fail to mention the selfless efforts of the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, whose imprints could not be ruled out in the successful operation carried out by the security forces,” he added.
The senator further commended the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar, for providing relief materials to displaced persons affected by the insurgency.
He, however, called on the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to complement the efforts of the Borno State Government in rebuilding Ngoshe community to facilitate the return of displaced residents.
According to him, many residents currently living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps are willing to return home if the community is rehabilitated and adequately secured.
“From my findings, with military presence in Ngoshe, the people want to leave the Internally Displaced Persons camps if the community can be made habitable for them,” he stated.
Ndume also urged the military and other security agencies to intensify efforts toward securing the release of schoolchildren abducted in Mussa community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, as well as travellers kidnapped along the Biu-Buratai Road.
He equally condemned the recent killing of soldiers and repentant Boko Haram volunteers in Mandaragra village, Biu Local Government Area, describing the incident as unfortunate and a reminder of the need to sustain pressure on insurgent groups operating in the region.
The Guardian
