Nigerian authorities have announced the release of over 300 people who had been kidnapped by criminal gangs and rebel groups across the country in 2026. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu welcomed the latest development and praised the deal that saw the release of "308 captured or abducted citizens in different attacks in Niger and Kwara states".
The statement said that "163 of those rescued were abducted from the Woro Community in Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State, and 145 were taken from Niger State."
In the first operation, the security and intelligence agencies recovered abductees from Kainji Lake National Park Forest in New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The operation was carried out by the country’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre with assistance from the armed forces, police and Department of State Services.
“It was the largest rescue operation ever carried out on the same day by Nigeria’s joint security team,” the statement added.
At least 200 people were killed in the attack when suspected Boko Haram-linked fighters launched a coordinated assault that lasted several hours, according to the Nigeria-based Punch website.
In June, the president announced that the military had “neutralised” more than 13,000 “terrorists” in the past year.
The army also said it had rescued 360 people abducted by Boko Haram, which has spread across parts of the country from Borno State, once considered the centre of its operations.
Nigeria has been marred by decades of violence, growing terrorism and human rights abuses because of the criminals, while authorities are trying their best to deal with outlaws. Yet, the lack of numbers in the police and armed forces is forcing the country to seek help from outside, especially French forces.
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