The Nigerian army on Monday transferred custody of more than 400 women and children to state authorities following their liberation from the jihadist group Boko Haram in the northeastern Borno state. The group had been abducted earlier this year.
Since 2009, the jihadist insurgency, first led by Boko Haram and later by its rival, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (Iswap), has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people throughout the northeast of Africa’s most populous country.
Mass kidnappings, often concluding with ransom payments, are a common tactic used by the Islamist militants.
The military had initially reported on Sunday that an “intelligence-led operation” by armed forces over the weekend had resulted in the freedom of approximately 360 individuals, not a release by Boko Haram.
Babagana Umara Zulum, the governor of Borno state, added on Monday that another 82 people had been liberated “two to three weeks ago,” bringing the total number of rescued former captives to “around 434.”
The victims were originally seized from the village of Ngoshe, located in the Gwoza hills, a Boko Haram bastion less than 10 kilometers from the Cameroon border. The area has been subjected to repeated attacks by Islamist fighters.
“We thank Almighty Allah for this rescue,” said Hassana Buba, a 43-year-old freed woman, at the Pulka displacement camp where the former captives were handed over to local officials. “We are very grateful and we are also celebrating,” she added.
Authorities officially deny paying ransoms, though analysts contend it is a frequent practice for both the government and victims’ families.
According to a report from SBM Intelligence, a consulting firm based in Lagos, approximately $1.66 million in ransoms was paid to various armed groups in Nigeria, including jihadists, “bandits,” and separatists, between July 2024 and June 2025.
