Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have rescued two girls who reportedly escaped from a terrorist enclave in the Mandara Mountains and reunited them with their community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

The development was disclosed in a report by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security expert covering the Lake Chad region.

According to the report, the girls were rescued at about 7:00am on July 2, 2026, after troops of the 82 Division Task Force Battalion conducting a routine patrol around Ngoshe spotted them near Armuda Bridge.

Makama reported that the patrol team carefully approached the girls before confirming that they were civilians in distress.

The rescued victims were identified as 15year-old Bintu Adamu and 11year-old Sadiya Jummai.

The report added that troops later cleared the surrounding area for about 400 metres to ensure there was no immediate threat before returning safely to their base.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the girls were allegedly abducted from Ngoshe community by terrorists and taken to an enclave in the Chinene area of the Mandara Mountains.

Makama said the victims seized an opportunity to escape from captivity before encountering the military patrol.

The troops administered first aid to the girls before handing them over to the Ngoshe community leader, Mallam Bulama Kunda, for reunification with their families.

“The latest rescue underscores the sustained efforts of troops operating in the Mandara Mountains to locate abductees, dismantle terrorist hideouts and restore security in communities affected by insurgency across the North-East,” the report stated.