Nigerian security forces rescue over 300 hostages in record single-day operation

Nigerian joint security forces have rescued 308 abducted citizens from the Kainji Lake National Park in Niger state, marking the largest single-day hostage recovery operation in the country’s history.

The intelligence-led operation involved the Nigerian military, police, Department of State Services, and the National Counter-Terrorism Centre.

Those freed include 163 residents abducted during a February attack on the Woro and Nuku communities in Kwara state, alongside 145 individuals seized from neighbouring Niger state.

During the February assault on Woro, the suspected killed more than 150 people and burned large parts of the village after residents refused to renounce the Nigerian government. Human rights monitoring groups reported that many victims of the raid were found bound and executed.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended the security services for their coordination, stating that the successful rescue demonstrates enhanced operational alignment among Nigeria’s defense and intelligence branches.

The freed hostages are currently undergoing medical evaluation and receiving psychosocial support at a federal military facility before being reunited with their families.