Former Boko Haram captives handed over to authorities after rescue in Nigeria

More than 400 women and children, abducted earlier this year by the jihadist group Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State, were handed over to local authorities on Monday by the Nigerian army.

The jihadist insurgency led by Boko Haram and its rival, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions in the region since 2009. Mass kidnappings followed by ransom-driven releases are a common tactic used by the Islamist fighters.

On Sunday, the military announced that approximately 360 people had been freed over the weekend, not through Boko Haram’s release, but as part of a military operation based on intelligence. Additionally, Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum confirmed on Monday that another 82 captives had been rescued two to three weeks prior, bringing the total number of former hostages recovered to around 434.

The victims were taken from the village of Ngoshe, less than 10 kilometres from the Cameroonian border, in the Gwoza hills—a known stronghold of Boko Haram. The area has faced repeated assaults from Islamist fighters.

One of the freed women, 43-year-old Hassana Buba, expressed gratitude at the Pulka displacement camp where the former captives were handed over to local authorities. ‘We thank Allah the almighty for this rescue,’ she said. ‘We are very grateful and we are also celebrating.’

Authorities deny paying ransoms, though analysts maintain that such payments are routine, made both by the government and victims’ families. According to a report by Lagos-based consulting firm SBM Intelligence, approximately $1.66 million was paid in ransoms from July 2024 to June 2025 to various armed groups in Nigeria, including jihadists, bandits, and separatists.