More than 300 people kidnapped in separate attacks across Nigeria have been rescued in a large-scale operation involving multiple security agencies, according to the country’s presidency. Officials described the mission as the biggest single-day rescue of abducted civilians carried out by Nigeria’s joint security forces.
The operation took place in the Kainji Lake National Park forest in Niger State, where security personnel from the military, police, Department of State Services, National Counter-Terrorism Centre and other intelligence units worked together to locate and recover the hostages. The vast forested area has increasingly been used as a refuge by armed criminal groups because of its difficult terrain and limited government presence.
Hundreds Freed From Separate Abductions
The presidency said a total of 308 people were rescued. Among them were 163 victims taken during the deadly attack on Woro village in Kwara State earlier this year, while another 145 had been abducted in Niger State in separate incidents.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga praised the success of the operation, saying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu welcomed the safe recovery of the victims. Authorities have not disclosed whether arrests were made during the rescue mission or whether any kidnappers were killed.
Woro Attack Sparked National Outrage
Many of those rescued had been held since the February assault on Woro, a community in Kwara State near Nigeria’s border with Benin. During that attack, heavily armed militants stormed the village, setting homes on fire, killing large numbers of residents and abducting dozens of people.
Reports from residents at the time described widespread destruction, while casualty estimates varied between local officials and eyewitnesses. The attack became one of the deadliest incidents recorded in the region this year.
Kidnapping Crisis Continues to Challenge Nigeria
Kidnappings for ransom remain one of Nigeria’s most pressing security challenges. Criminal gangs, often referred to locally as bandits, as well as extremist groups, have targeted villages, highways, schools and rural communities, particularly across northern and central parts of the country.
Large forest reserves and national parks have become strategic hideouts for these groups, making rescue operations difficult and requiring coordinated action by multiple security agencies.
The latest rescue follows several other large hostage recovery operations carried out this year as Nigerian authorities continue efforts to weaken kidnapping networks operating across the country. Despite these successes, attacks and mass abductions remain a persistent threat in many regions.
What Comes Next
Officials have not released further details about the condition of the rescued victims or the next phase of the investigation. Security agencies are expected to continue operations aimed at dismantling armed groups operating from remote forested areas, while the government faces ongoing pressure to improve security and prevent future mass kidnappings.
