Former Boko Haram hostages handed over to nigerian authorities in borno
Former Boko Haram hostages handed over to Nigerian authorities in Borno
Nigerian military forces have transferred more than 400 women and children to local authorities after their liberation from Boko Haram captivity earlier this year in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.
Since 2009, a brutal jihadist insurgency led by Boko Haram and later by its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has left tens of thousands dead and displaced millions across the region.
Mass abductions, often resolved through ransom payments, have become a hallmark of the Islamist militants’ tactics.
Military officials confirmed Sunday that approximately 360 individuals were freed over the weekend—not by Boko Haram, but through a targeted military operation enabled by intelligence gathering.
An additional 82 people were released two to three weeks earlier, bringing the total to about 434 rescued former captives, according to Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum.
Liberation from a Boko Haram stronghold
The victims were abducted from Ngoshe, a village less than 10 kilometers from the Cameroonian border, nestled in the Gwoza Hills—a region long controlled by Boko Haram. The area has frequently come under brutal assaults by Islamist fighters.
Voices of gratitude from the freed
“We thank Allah, the Almighty, for this rescue,” said Hassana Buba, 43, one of the liberated women speaking to reporters at the Pulka displaced persons camp. “We are deeply grateful and celebrating this moment.”
While authorities deny paying ransoms, analysts highlight that financial settlements remain a common but unacknowledged practice, involving both government and victim families.
Between July 2024 and June 2025 alone, approximately 1.66 million dollars in ransoms were reportedly paid to armed groups in Nigeria, including jihadists, bandits, and separatists, according to findings by a Lagos-based intelligence firm, SBM Intelligence.