Nigerian troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Hadin Kai, have successfully rescued 74 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from a potential abduction by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists along the Buratai–Kamuya road in Borno State.
The incident occurred Tuesday night when the corps members’ vehicles broke down near a known kidnapping hotspot. Troops were alerted through a CCTV system monitored by military personnel, which detected suspicious activity involving three buses in the area. A patrol team was immediately deployed.
On arrival, the soldiers found 74 NYSC members — 36 males and 38 females — stranded. They were swiftly escorted to safety, preventing a likely abduction attempt.
The corps members had earlier been escorted from Maiduguri to Damaturu by troops of the 7 Division Garrison but continued their journey to Hawul Local Government Area without notifying Sector 2 Headquarters or requesting an armed escort. They were reportedly on an evangelical mission when their vehicles broke down.
The rescued members are now being accommodated at the Buratai military base, where arrangements are underway for their safe onward movement.
This operation comes just days after the same troops rescued 86 kidnapped victims and arrested 29 suspected Boko Haram collaborators along the same corridor. Items recovered during the earlier operation included an AK-47 rifle, five magazines with 73 rounds, four PKT ammunition belts, five civilian vehicles, five motorcycles, eight bicycles, and two logistics tricycles.
This incident underscores the ongoing security challenges in the region and highlights the critical role of military vigilance in protecting NYSC members and other civilians from terrorist threats.
