Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, working alongside personnel of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force (MOPOL), have foiled an attempted mass abduction by suspected ISWAP terrorists at the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno, Borno State.
In a statement Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, the attempted attack occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday at the school, which is currently being used by the Borno State Government as temporary hostel accommodation for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.
According to Operation HADIN KAI, the terrorists allegedly gained access to the facility with the assistance of suspected collaborators and attempted to abduct the students.
The military said alert security personnel immediately engaged the attackers with coordinated firepower, while the Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force swiftly reinforced the school, forcing the insurgents to abandon the operation and flee.
“The terrorists were confronted with superior combat capability and determined resistance by the security forces, compelling them to retreat in confusion without achieving their objective,” the military said.
Although parts of the school’s infrastructure were damaged during the exchange of gunfire, security forces successfully prevented the abduction.
Following the operation, all 46 students in the facility were rescued and evacuated to Kinnasara Barracks in Monguno, where they received immediate medical evaluation and care.
The military confirmed that all the rescued students were medically stable and that no student was abducted.
However, it disclosed that some students lost their lives after being struck by sporadic gunfire fired by the fleeing terrorists during the exchange.
Operation HADIN KAI expressed condolences to the bereaved families and assured residents that security agencies remain committed to protecting lives and critical public institutions across the North-East.
The military said investigations were ongoing to identify and apprehend suspected collaborators believed to have aided the attackers, while troops and other security agencies had launched operations to track down the fleeing terrorists.
It reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining offensive operations against terrorist groups, degrading their operational capability and ensuring that schools and other critical infrastructure across the region remain secure.
