hundreds rescued from boko haram handed over to nigerian authorities

Nigeria’s military has transferred over 400 women and children to local authorities after their rescue from Boko Haram captivity in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria. The operation, conducted over the weekend, freed the victims following intelligence-led military action in the Gwoza hills, near the Cameroonian border.

Since 2009, the insurgency led by Boko Haram and later its splinter group, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), has left thousands dead and displaced millions across Nigeria’s northeast. Mass abductions, often followed by ransom demands, remain a grim tactic employed by these armed factions.

The military confirmed that approximately 360 individuals were rescued in a single weekend operation, while an additional 82 were freed in separate rescue efforts two to three weeks prior, bringing the total to around 434 freed captives, according to Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum.

“We thank Allah for this rescue,” shared Hassana Buba, 43, one of the freed women, at the Pulka displacement camp where the victims were handed over. “We are deeply grateful and celebrating this moment,” she added.

Authorities have denied paying ransoms, though reports suggest the practice persists among both government entities and victims’ families. Between July 2024 and June 2025, at least $1.66 million in ransoms was reportedly paid to various armed groups in Nigeria, including jihadists, bandits, and separatists, according to a Lagos-based intelligence firm.

The rescued individuals were abducted from Ngoshe village, less than 10 kilometers from the Cameroonian border in the Gwoza hills—a region long targeted by Boko Haram’s violent campaigns.