The Nigerian Army has announced the successful rescue of approximately 386 individuals from the notorious Sambisa forest, a stronghold for insurgents in Borno state.
The majority of those rescued were women and children, many of whom had been abducted a decade ago.
Acting General Officer Commanding, 7 Division, AGL Haruna, disclosed this uplifting news during a briefing with journalists in Konduga LGA, Borno state, on Sunday.
Haruna revealed that the rescue operation was part of a 10-day endeavor named ‘Operation Desert Sanity 111’, aimed at eliminating terrorist remnants from Sambisa forest while offering surrender opportunities to willing insurgents.
“Our effort is to ensure that we clear remnants of terrorists in the Sambisa and give those willing to surrender the opportunity to surrender,” stated Haruna, emphasising the dual objectives of the operation.
He expressed optimism that more insurgents would opt to surrender following the success of the operation.
The acting general officer commanding commended the professionalism exhibited by the operatives during the rescue mission, urging them to maintain the momentum in their efforts to combat insurgency in the region.
The rescue operation is particularly significant in light of the infamous Chibok schoolgirls abduction in 2014, where approximately 276 girls were forcefully taken from their school dormitory.
Since then, efforts to locate and rescue the abducted girls have been ongoing, with over 107 girls either rescued or released to date.
While some managed to escape captivity, others were rescued by troops during clearance operations, with the latest rescue occurring in April 2024.
Despite these efforts, approximately 90 of the Chibok girls remain unaccounted for, raising hopes that some may be among those recently rescued from Sambisa forest.
Chioma Kalu
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