Troops from Operation Hadin Kai have rescued 47 people—mostly women and children—from captivity in an enclave controlled by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Kangarwa, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. The rescue mission took place on June 20, 2026.
This was announced in a statement released Monday by Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni. According to Goni, the hostages regained their freedom after sustained military offensives targeting terrorist hideouts in the Lake Chad region.
“The Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has recorded another significant humanitarian success with the rescue of over 47 persons, mostly women and children, who were held captive by ISWAP terrorists in Kangarwa, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State on 20 June 2026,” the statement read.
The success of the operation, Goni explained, was due to intensified ground and air assaults on the terrorists’ strongholds, which forced the insurgents to flee, leaving the hostages behind. The unrelenting offensive pressure enabled the captives to escape from prolonged captivity.
The statement further disclosed that the rescued individuals are currently receiving medical care and other humanitarian support at a secure location. Relevant agencies are coordinating with the military to facilitate their eventual reintegration into society.
Goni emphasized that the rescue highlights the military’s ongoing commitment to protecting civilians and dismantling terrorist networks in the North-East. He reaffirmed that Operation Hadin Kai will persist with operations aimed at eliminating remaining ISWAP cells and restoring peace to the region.
Borno State has remained the epicenter of insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East for over a decade, with thousands of civilians displaced, abducted, or killed by Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters. In recent months, the military has intensified operations across the Lake Chad basin and the Sambisa axis in ongoing efforts to weaken terrorist groups and secure affected communities.
