Nigerian forces rescue 308 kidnap victims, presidency says
The joint security team said the rescued victims are receiving medical care and will be returned to their state governments after evaluation.
- On Wednesday, Nigerian security forces rescued 308 hostages from Kainji Lake National Park in a coordinated operation involving the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, armed forces, Department of State Services, and police.
- The rescue ends months of captivity for victims abducted during a February 3, 2026, attack on Woro village, where suspected jihadists burned homes and seized residents.
- While authorities cite 163 rescued from Woro, community leaders maintain 176 were originally abducted, illustrating verification challenges; meanwhile, Kwara State Police Commissioner Ojo Adekimi stated he was 'not aware' of the operation.
- President Bola Tinubu hailed the mission as the 'largest rescue operation ever' and directed security agencies to strengthen early-warning mechanisms and improve rapid response capabilities.
- Kidnapping for ransom remains a major crisis in Nigeria, with SBM Intelligence reporting approximately $1.66 million in ransom payments between July 2024 and June 2025, reflecting ongoing threats to rural communities.
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Nigerian security forces free hundreds of abductees
In what Nigeria’s president described as the country’s largest single-day rescue operation, security forces freed hundreds of people from captivity in the northern Kainji Lake National Park. Authorities have not identified the kidnappers, but abductions by armed groups, including Boko Haram-linked militants, have become increasingly common to extract ransom payments. Twelve years ago, Boko Haram kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls from the town of …
Nigeria frees 300 in record hostage rescue
President Bola Tinubu hailed the operation and ordered stronger intelligence and faster nationwide response measures Security forces in Nigeria have carried out the largest-ever single-day hostage rescue, freeing 308 people abducted in separate incidents in Kwara and Niger states, according to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. At least 1,100 people were abducted across northern Nigeria in...
In Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu announced on Wednesday, August 5, the release of 308 people held hostage for months in the Kwara and Niger regions of north-central Nigeria. These individuals had been kidnapped in various attacks. Among them were 163 residents of Woro village in Kaiama district, where jihadists had committed a large-scale massacre in early February.
Nigeria has been facing kidnappings and armed conflicts in parts of the country for years. The post Nigeria: Security forces rescued 308 kidnapping victims – President Tinubu's statements appeared first on in.gr.
The victims were kidnapped in various attacks in the states of Niger and Kwara; in one attack, over 150 people died.
(Johannesburg=Yonhap News) Correspondent Na Hak-jin = Nigerian security authorities rescued 308 hostages in a joint operation to rescue victims of kidnapping in northern Qwara State.
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