Several hundred individuals, previously abducted by the jihadist group Boko Haram in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, have been successfully freed. This significant development was confirmed by both the military and local sources.

Since 2009, a relentless jihadist insurgency, initially led by Boko Haram and later by its rival, Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions across Nigeria’s most populous nation, particularly in its northeastern region.

Large-scale abductions, often followed by ransom negotiations for release, are a common tactic employed by these Islamist factions. Samaila Kaigama, president of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), stated that his organization secured the release of 416 women and children who had been seized from Ngoshe.

Tragic loss of two infants

“They were freed on Saturday,” Kaigama informed reporters. Mohammed Ali Ndume, a senator representing Borno State, also corroborated the liberation.

However, in a separate statement released later the same day, the Nigerian military reported a different figure, indicating that 360 individuals were liberated not directly by Boko Haram, but as a result of a targeted operation by armed forces, executed “through intelligence.”

The military elaborated that it gathered intelligence and conducted “psychological operations” to sow “distrust among the insurgents” before initiating the “assault phase.”

The victims had been held “in dire conditions after being abducted from various communities, particularly along the Ngoshe axis,” according to the military’s communiqué.

“Regrettably, two infants perished from exhaustion due to prolonged captivity and harsh conditions,” confirmed Daniel Bwala, spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, who also cited the figure of 360 liberated individuals, via social media.

Ransoms: a common practice

Ngoshe village is situated less than 10 kilometers from the Cameroonian border, nestled within the Gwoza hills, a known stronghold for Boko Haram, and has frequently endured assaults from Islamist militants.

The head of the youth organization stated he was unaware of the specific circumstances surrounding the liberation. His organization, BOSYA, which had established communication channels between the captors and affected families, did not provide further details.

While authorities consistently deny paying ransoms, analysts assert that this practice is widespread, involving both government entities and victims’ families.

Indeed, a report by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based consultancy firm, indicates that approximately 1.66 million dollars was paid in ransoms from July 2024 to June 2025 to various armed groups across Nigeria, including jihadists, “bandits,” and separatists.