Hundreds of captives freed from Boko Haram mountain hideout

Sat Jun 13 2026 12:18:48 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Nigerian army claims to have liberated over 350 hostages held by Boko Haram in a remote mountain base, sparking disputes over the exact number freed.

At least 360 people kidnapped by Boko Haram were rescued from a Mandara‑mountain hideout in Borno state, the army says after a week‑long intel‑driven operation conducted under cover of darkness. The army describes the assault as one of its most significant hostage‑rescue missions, while local activists insist the number of freed captives may be 416. Two infants died during captivity, the Nigerian president’s adviser said, but the freed hostages are receiving medical aid and are being gathered under trees for overnight respite. The incident underscores the ongoing threat of abductions by jihadist and local militant groups in northeastern Nigeria.

Hundreds of captives freed from Boko Haram mountain hideout

At least 360 people abducted by Boko Haram from a mainly Muslim community in Nigeria’s north‑eastern Borno state were freed from a remote mountain hideout, the Nigerian army announced early Monday. The operation, conducted under cover of darkness, is described by the army as “unprecedented” and “intelligence‑led” and reportedly took the militants by surprise.

The army’s spokesperson, Lt‑Col Haruna M Sani, said several insurgents abandoned their positions in the cave and fled into the surrounding terrain, while others surrendered. He called the assault “one of the military’s most significant hostage‑rescue operations” in the north‑east.

Local activist groups, however, dispute the army’s figures. The Borno South Youth Initiative – a community group in the area – said, after mediating an unconditional release, that up to 416 people were freed.

Three years after Boko Haram’s nationwide kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls, the group’s attacks again use abductions for ransom, targeting schools, churches, mosques and remote villages across Nigeria. Though ransoms are illegal, analysts note that desperate families, intermediaries and even state actors sometimes pay, perpetuating the cycle of kidnappings.

During the rescue, two infants died from exhaustion and exposure. President Bola Tinubu’s adviser, Daniel Bwala, posted on X that the evacuees now receive medical care.

The freed hostages – many from Ngoshe village, close to the Cameroon border – were brought together under trees for an overnight vigil, where they underwent medical screenings. Military footage published on Sunday confirmed the regrouping, describing the scene as “under trees overnight.”

The incident feeds into a broader security crisis involving Boko Haram, splinter insurgent groups, land disputes, sectarian tensions and sporadic separatist unrest in northeastern Nigeria. Earlier this year, a joint US‑Nigerian operation killed a senior Islamic‑State leader in the region.