Nigerian security forces have successfully rescued more than 300 abducted people in what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described as the largest single-day hostage recovery in the country’s history. The joint operation, conducted by the military, police, and counter-terrorism units, freed victims held captive in the dense forests of the Kainji Lake national park in the north-central region.
Among those who regained freedom were 163 people abducted in February during a deadly raid on the village of Woro in Kwara state, and 145 others seized primarily from the neighbouring Niger state. Both states are flanked to the west by Benin, where militant attacks have been surging in recent times. The survivors are receiving medical evaluations at an army installation before being reunited with their families.
President Tinubu hailed the successful execution of the intelligence-led operation, saying it demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among the country’s security services. He commended the gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives. Government spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said the rescue operation was part of the president’s resolve to restore lasting peace across every corner of the nation.
Kidnapping for ransom has become endemic in Africa’s most populous country, especially in the north where different armed groups, including bandit gangs and jihadists, roam large unoccupied forests and shrublands. According to a report by SBM Intelligence, between July 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,722 people were kidnapped across 997 reported incidents, leading to at least 762 deaths.
The government has been ramping up reforms and rescue operations as insecurity worsens ahead of January’s presidential election. The latest rescue was announced in the same week the army declared the governor of Islamic State West Africa Province and his deputy wanted. The duo run the Islamic State-affiliated Boko Haram offshoot operating primarily around the Lake Chad basin.
This rescue operation comes after security services freed at least 40 students and teachers who had been kidnapped in May from a school in Oyo in south-western Nigeria. Last week, the presidency announced a salary increase worth 30% to 80% for thousands of soldiers, the largest hike in years for an army once seen as one of the continent’s most powerful but now derided as underfunded and unequipped to handle concurrent insurgencies across Nigerian territory.
