Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have foiled an attempted mass abduction by suspected ISWAP terrorists at the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno, in the early hours of Sunday, rescuing 46 students.
The acting spokesman of the operation, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement, saying the incident happened after the terrorists gained access with the assistance of suspected collaborators in an attempt to abduct students, around 1:30am on Sunday.
“Alert security personnel immediately engaged the terrorists with coordinated and overwhelming firepower, effectively stalling their advance with Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force (QRF) immediately reinforcing the school.
“Confronted by the superior combat capability and determined resistance of the security forces, the terrorists were forced to abandon their criminal mission and flee in confusion without achieving their objective,” he said.
During the encounter, the spokesman said parts of the school infrastructure sustained damage but the attempt was well contained by troops in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force personnel.
“Following the operation, troops successfully rescued and evacuated all 46 students to Kinnasara Barracks, Monguno, where they received immediate medical assessment and appropriate care.
“All rescued students have been confirmed medically stable and no student was abducted. Regrettably, some students were fatally struck by the sporadic gunfire from the terrorists during the firefight.
“Operation HADIN KAI extends its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and reassures the public that all necessary measures are being taken to safeguard the lives of residents and protect critical public institutions across the North East in liaison with the Borno State Government.
“Exploitation of the incident is ongoing to identify and apprehend the suspected collaborators, while troops and other security agencies are actively tracking the fleeing terrorists.
“Operation HADIN KAI remains steadfast in its commitment to sustaining relentless pressure on terrorist elements, denying them freedom of action, dismantling their operational capability, and ensuring that educational institutions and other critical infrastructure across the North East remain safe and secure,” he said.
