Africa-Press – Nigeria. The Nigerian army announced that security forces rescued 360 men, women, and children from a mountainous hideout where they were held by kidnappers in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, following an intelligence operation.
The government of this West African nation has been struggling with insecurity for years, ranging from conflicts between herders and farmers in the central region to kidnapping gangs, armed groups, and community defense militias active in the northern states. The army clarified in a statement that the hostages were held by Boko Haram and were abducted from various areas in the region over an unspecified period.
The army stated that the rescue operation was carried out by a joint task force comprising special forces, which forced Boko Haram fighters to abandon their positions. The army reported that two children who were held died due to exhaustion and the harsh conditions in which the hostages were kept.
Widespread kidnapping and the increasing presence of armed groups in Nigeria—the most populous African nation—are likely to be major issues in the lead-up to the presidential elections in January.
