President Bola Tinubu hailed the operation and ordered stronger intelligence and faster nationwide response measures
Security forces in Nigeria have carried out the largest-ever single-day hostage rescue, freeing 308 people abducted in separate incidents in Kwara and Niger states, according to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
At least 1,100 people were abducted across northern Nigeria in the first four months of 2026 alone, Amnesty International has reported.
Tinubu announced the successful operation on Thursday in a post on X, praising the security agencies for their “intelligence, courage and coordination” making the mission possible.
Following the raid, the president directed the country’s security services to strengthen early-warning systems, expand community awareness and improve rapid-response capabilities nationwide.
”We will continue to pursue those who threaten our people and do everything necessary to keep every Nigerian community safe.” Tinubu said, adding that there would be no hiding place for terrorists in the country.
The rescued hostages are receiving medical treatment at Wawa Cantonment and will be transferred to their respective states for further care and reunification with their families, the authorities said.
The West African nation has faced a surge in mass kidnappings in recent years as armed groups have stepped up attacks across the country. Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru group have been blamed for assaults on villages, churches and schools, as well as large-scale abductions for ransom.
According to the UN, 114 violent incidents and 1,932 fatalities were recorded in northeastern Nigeria between April and June alone.
In response, Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency last November, ordered the recruitment of thousands of additional police officers and military personnel, and allocated a record 5.41 trillion naira ($3.5 billion) to defense in the 2026 budget.
Days before the hostage release, the president also approved salary increases of up to 80% for the country’s armed forces in a bid to strengthen the fight against insurgents and criminal gangs.
However, gunmen reportedly killed at least 12 people and abducted several women and children in Sokoto State last weekend. In June, armed men kidnapped at least 36 students and a staff member from a secondary school in Borno State while examinations were underway.
Russia has repeatedly condemned terrorist attacks in the African state. In November 2025, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was ready to assist Abuja in combating terrorism. The issue was revisited in May, when Russian Ambassador Andrey Podelyshev and Nigerian Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in security, as well as defense.
