Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have saved 10 trainees and instructors abducted throughout an attack by thought terrorists on Lassa community in Askira/Uba City government Location of Borno State.
The victims were among prospects sitting for the National Examinations Council (NECO) assessment at the Technical Secondary School in Lassa when presumed fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) assaulted the community at about 9:00 a.m. on Monday.
According to a declaration issued by Captain Mohammed Goni, Acting Armed Force Details Officer at Head Office Joint Job Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, troops swiftly launched a collaborated search-and-rescue operation right away after getting reports of the event.
The military stated the Theatre Command deployed both strike airplane and Intelligence, Monitoring and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms from the Air Element of OPHK to support ground soldiers mobilised to the location.
“With support from the air platforms offering assistance overhead, troops reached the terrorists around Daggu,” the statement said.
Following a fierce exchange of gunfire, troops successfully saved 10 of the abducted victims unscathed. The rescued students and teachers are presently receiving necessary care and support.
The military revealed that efforts are ongoing to rescue the staying victim and capture those responsible for the attack.
Throughout the operation, soldiers apparently outmanoeuvred the running away insurgents, inflicted casualties on them and caught 7 motorcycles used by the terrorists, considerably interrupting their escape.
Nevertheless, the armed force stated the operation tape-recorded casualties on the side of the security forces, as one soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Job Force (CJTF) lost their lives during the extreme firefight.
“Their courage, altruism and unwavering commitment exhibit the cumulative willpower of security forces and regional volunteers who continue to risk their lives daily to secure innocent people and restore peace across the North East,” the statement noted.
Operation HADIN KAI even more mentioned that soldiers, in partnership with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders, have heightened operations against the terrorists while reinforcing security procedures across affected neighborhoods to secure schools and other susceptible targets.
The military described the attack on trainees as an indication of desperation by terrorist groups facing sustained pressure from continuous military offensives.
It worried that attacks on soft targets would not compromise the willpower of the armed forces to dismantle terrorist networks and restore enduring peace across the North-East region.
Operation HADIN KAI also prompted members of the general public to stay alert and continue providing timely and trustworthy information to security firms to assist in timely reactions to security dangers.
The military more encouraged locals to disregard unverified reports and rely only on official updates regarding the incident as ongoing operations continue in the area.