Nigeria’s military reportedly rescued at least 76 hostages, including minors, after conducting precision airstrikes against militants in the northwest region of the country, authorities reported on Saturday. The operation was meant to disrupt criminal networks and retrieve persons abducted by feared groups.
Airstrikes struck militant positions near Pauwa Hill in Kankara district of Katsina state early Saturday, according to Nasir Mu’azu, the state’s commissioner for internal security. The offensive followed intelligence pointing to a prominent kidnapper’s hideout.
Others of the hostages were kidnapped while being attacked in a mosque in Unguwan Mantau, where they lost at least 50 lives,” Mu’azu explained. He continued with sadness that one child died in the process, underlining the miserable cost of human life in the ongoing violence.
Increasing Violence in Northwest Nigeria
The rescue is amid a jump in attacks in northwest and north-central Nigeria, where conflicts over land and water between farmers and herders frequently flare into fatal battles. In just the past month, an attack in north-central Nigeria killed 150 people, highlighting the mounting danger from armed groups.
The authorities say local militias and criminal gangs have improved their weapons and are now making counterinsurgency efforts even more challenging. In another Saturday operation, airstrikes in northwest Nigeria killed 35 militants, emphasizing the military’s emphasis on attacking high-value operators.
Government Strategy Amid Ongoing Insurgency
Mu’azu characterized the air assault as one element of a larger strategy designed to disrupt criminal networks, stem kidnappings, and disrupt the cycle of extortion and violence that has terrorized communities for years.
Nigeria still battles a deadly insurgency in the northeast, which has killed an estimated 35,000 civilians and displaced over 2 million people according to the United Nations. In spite of President Bola Tinubu’s attempts to quash jihadi attacks, the militancy has endured and posed a threat to security in many regions.
The military’s targeted strikes and hostage rescue represent a big step in Nigeria’s struggle against militancy. Authorities stressed that while the operations provide relief to targeted communities, they are part of a sustained drive to return safety and stability to the nation.
