Over 300 Kidnap Victims Freed in Nigeria's Largest Single-Day Rescue
Nigeria rescued over 300 kidnap victims in a single day, including women and children held for months in a forest.
More than 300 people abducted in separate attacks across northern Nigeria have been freed in what President Bola Tinubu described as the country's largest single-day rescue operation.
The rescued hostages include 163 people taken from the Woro community in Kwara State's Kaiama area in February, along with 145 others, most of whom were kidnapped in neighbouring Niger State. Officials have not disclosed operational details, stating only that the hostages were freed from a forest after months in captivity. Tinubu attributed the success to intelligence-driven efforts and improved coordination among Nigeria's security agencies.
At a clinic in Ilorin, Kwara State, survivors recounted their ordeal. Amira Saliu, a rescued victim and nurse, said the captors kept the group near a river and forced them to extinguish fires and stay silent whenever aircraft flew overhead. She described inconsistent food supplies, leaving children hungry at night, and noted that several pregnant women gave birth during captivity. Saliu said she assisted around ten deliveries without gloves, as she was the only nurse among the group.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq expressed mixed emotions, calling the incident regrettable but expressing gratitude that all hostages were rescued alive. He confirmed that 46 victims, mostly children and women, remain hospitalised, some with skin reactions. The governor pledged that the government would continue efforts to protect citizens' lives and property.
Mass abductions and kidnappings for ransom remain a severe security challenge in Nigeria, particularly in the northwest and north-central regions. Armed criminal groups, locally known as bandits, frequently raid villages, highways, and schools. Authorities say these groups evolved from conflicts between nomadic herders and farmers over land and water, later transforming into organised crime networks. The country also continues to face a decade-long insurgency in the northeast, where extremist groups have targeted civilians and security forces.