Several hundred people, previously abducted by the jihadist group Boko Haram in Borno State, located in Nigeria’s volatile northeast, have been successfully freed. Both military sources and local officials confirmed the liberation operation.

Since 2009, a relentless jihadist insurgency, initially by Boko Haram and later by its rival, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), has devastated the region. This conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions across Africa’s most populous nation.

Mass abductions, often culminating in ransom payments, remain a prevalent tactic employed by these Islamist groups. Samaila Kaigama, president of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), reported securing the release of 416 women and children who had been seized from Ngoshe.

Two infants tragically perish

“They were freed on Saturday,” Kaigama informed journalists. Mohammed Ali Ndume, a respected Senator representing Borno State, also corroborated the liberation.

However, in a separate statement released later the same day, the Nigerian army clarified that 360 individuals were liberated not directly by Boko Haram, but rather through a strategic military operation executed based on actionable intelligence.

The army detailed that it gathered crucial intelligence and conducted “psychological operations” to sow “distrust among the insurgents” before initiating the “assault phase.”

The victims had been held “under harsh conditions after being abducted from various communities, particularly along the Ngoshe axis,” according to the army’s communiqué.

“Regrettably, two infants perished from exhaustion due to the prolonged captivity and severe conditions,” stated Daniel Bwala, spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, who also confirmed the figure of 360 liberated individuals on social media.

Ransoms: a common practice

The village of Ngoshe, situated less than 10 kilometers from the Cameroonian border within the Gwoza hills, is a known stronghold for Boko Haram and has endured repeated assaults from Islamist fighters.

The youth organization leader did not provide details regarding the specific circumstances of the liberation. BOSYA, which had established communication channels between the captors and affected families, also refrained from offering further specifics.

While authorities consistently deny paying ransoms, analysts frequently assert that such payments are a widespread practice, made by both governmental entities and the families of victims.

A report by Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence revealed that approximately $1.66 million was paid in ransoms between July 2024 and June 2025 to various armed factions across Nigeria, including jihadists,

By Mariama Hamani — Analyst