The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Lt.-Col. Haruna Sani.
According to Sani, the victims were freed from a Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) stronghold situated deep within the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza Local Government Area of the state.
He explained that the rescued victims, made up of men, women and children, regained their freedom during what he described as one of the most successful hostage-rescue operations carried out in the North-East theatre in recent times.
Gwoza has remained one of the areas frequently targeted by terrorist groups operating in Borno State. The attackers have repeatedly carried out abductions of residents, including women and children, during raids on communities in the area.