Nigerian authorities have rescued a total of 308 citizens who had been kidnapped, according to officials. The operation took place in the Kainji Lake National Park Forest, a location that has served as a hideout for criminal groups.
The rescued individuals had been abducted during various attacks in Niger State and Kwara State. Among them, 163 were taken from the village of Woro in Kwara State, and 145 were from Niger State.
President Tinubu welcomes the rescue of 308 citizens abducted in Niger and Kwara states.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga described the operation as the largest rescue ever carried out in a single day. The rescue comes months after a February attack on the village of Woro, where terrorist groups killed over 150 people, according to some reports.
308 citizens
The number of kidnapped Nigerians rescued by authorities.
Residents of Woro told AFP that the death toll from the February attack was over 165, although local authorities reported a lower figure. In response, President Tinubu deployed an army battalion to the region and attributed the attack on Woro to the Islamist movement Boko Haram.
Earlier, the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) had claimed its first attack on Nigerian soil in Kwara State, near Woro, a few months before the February assault. Sprawling, sparsely governed forests and reserves across Nigeria continue to serve as hideouts for criminal groups.
Updates
Refining earlier reports, Kwara State police stated that the figure of 176 people kidnapped during the Woro attack was unsubstantiated. Additionally, the rescue operation was conducted through a joint effort involving the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, the military, the Department of State Services intelligence agency, and the police.
Kwara State police stated that previous media reports placing the number of victims from the Woro attack at 176 were unsubstantiated. Additionally, the rescue operation was conducted through a coordinated effort involving the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, the military, the Department of State Services, and the police.
The rescue operation was a coordinated effort involving the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, the military, the police, and the Department of State Services intelligence agency. Regarding the Woro attack, Kwara State police have stated that previous media reports citing 176 kidnapped individuals were unsubstantiated.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described the rescue operation as a sign of improved coordination among security agencies, while victims received medical care at a military site before being reunited with their families. Although the operation was a success, it remains unclear if any suspects were detained during the mission. Additionally, while media reports initially placed the number of people kidnapped during the Woro attack at 176, Kwara State police stated that figure was unsubstantiated.
The rescue operation involved a coordinated effort between the military, National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Department of State Services, and the police, with victims receiving medical care at a military site before reunification. While the Nigerian government has blamed Boko Haram for the Woro attack, the group has not issued a statement, and it remains unclear if any suspects were detained during the operation. Additionally, Kwara State police noted that previous media reports placing the Woro attack kidnapping count at 176 were unsubstantiated.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described the rescue operation as a sign of improved coordination among security agencies and commended the military personnel for their bravery. While the victims were receiving medical care at a military site before being reunited with their families, it remains unclear whether any suspects were detained during the operation.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended the security services for the rescue operation, noting that its successful execution demonstrates improved coordination and efficiency among agencies. The operation, which involved the military, police, and intelligence agencies, was carried out as part of an intelligence-led effort to safeguard lives. Following their rescue, the victims received medical care at a military site before being reunited with their families.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended the military's bravery in the operation, noting that its successful execution demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among Nigeria's security services. Following the rescue, the victims received medical care at a military site before being reunited with their families, though it remains unclear if any suspects were detained during the mission.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended the military for their bravery and noted that the intelligence-led operation demonstrates improved coordination and efficiency among Nigeria's security agencies. The rescued citizens received medical treatment at a military site before being reunited with their families, though it remains unclear if any suspects were detained during the operation.
The 308 rescued hostages were held in Kainji Lake National Park, a forested area linked to a JAS cell — a historical Boko Haram faction — and were recovered following an intelligence-led operation involving military, police, and state intelligence agencies, with President Tinubu attributing the success to improved inter-agency coordination; meanwhile, SBM Intelligence reported that between July 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,722 people were kidnapped across 997 incidents in Nigeria, resulting in 762 deaths and ransom payments totaling $35 million, with families paying at least $2.57 billion.
The 308 rescued individuals were held in Kainji Lake National Park, a forested area linked to a JAS cell — a historical Boko Haram faction — and were receiving medical care before reuniting with families; meanwhile, SBM Intelligence reported that between July 2024 and June 2025, Nigeria saw 4,722 kidnappings across 997 incidents, resulting in at least 762 deaths and ransom payments totaling $35 million, with $2.57 billion paid by families — figures that contextualize the scale of the crisis beyond this single operation.
The 308 rescued hostages were held in Kainji Lake National Park, a forested area linked to a JAS cell — a historical Boko Haram faction — and were freed following a joint operation by military, police, intelligence, and the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, with President Tinubu praising the agencies' coordination; meanwhile, SBM Intelligence reported that between July 2024 and June 2025, Nigeria saw 4,722 kidnappings across 997 incidents, resulting in at least 762 deaths and $35 million in ransom payments, while new attacks in Zamfara State left at least 32 dead in June and July, and the government has now labeled Boko Haram responsible for the Woro assault despite no official claim from該組
The 308 rescued hostages were held in Kainji Lake National Park, a forested area linked to a JAS cell—a historical Boko Haram faction—while the Woro attack in Kwara State, initially reported to have abducted 176, remains unsubstantiated by local police; SBM Intelligence now confirms that between July 2024 and June 2025, Nigeria saw 4,722 kidnappings across 997 incidents, resulting in at least 762 deaths and $35 million in ransom demands, with families paying at least $2.57 million.
The 308 rescued individuals were held in Kainji Lake National Park, a forested area linked to a JAS cell — a historical Boko Haram faction — and were receiving medical care before reuniting with families; meanwhile, SBM Intelligence reported that between July 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,722 people were kidnapped across 997 incidents in Nigeria, resulting in 762 deaths, with ransom payments totaling at least ₦2.57bn ($1.66 million), while new attacks in Zamfara State left at least 32 dead in June and July, and President Tinubu credited improved inter-agency coordination for the rescue, though Boko Haram has not claimed responsibility for the Woro attack.
The 308 rescued hostages were held in Kainji Lake National Park, a forested area linked to a JAS cell — a historical Boko Haram faction — and were freed following a joint operation by Nigeria’s military, police, intelligence, and National Counter-Terrorism Centre, with President Tinubu praising the improved inter-agency coordination; meanwhile, SBM Intelligence reported that between July 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,722 people were kidnapped across 997 incidents, resulting in 762 deaths, and abductors demanded ₦48bn ($35m) in ransom, with families paying at least ₦2.57bn.
Of the 308 rescued, 46 are being treated at a hospital in Kwara State, with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq describing the victims as predominantly children and women, while nurse Amira Saliu, one of the abductees, recounted using her bare hands to assist 10 women in giving birth during captivity — a detail not previously reported.
