Borno, soldiers pulled 92 people from captivity while hunting armed groups tied to Boko Haram and
ISWAP. Eight stolen trucks turned up too, found during the sweep through rough terrain. Action came under Operation HADIN KAI, pressing hard where militants try to hide. Movement on the ground shifted quickly once troops moved in. Smoke rose from burned camps left behind by fighters who fled. Patrols kept pushing forward after dark, tracking trails others missed. Each mile covered revealed more signs of those recently displaced. Relief showed on faces carried out on stretchers or walking beside armored jeeps. No loud announcements followed – just steady work logged before sunrise.
Out in areas hit by rebel attacks, movement kicked up dust near camps used by fighters. Hidden spots where attackers once stayed were broken apart during sweeps through rough country. Gear left behind – thought tied to those who ran off – was picked up after the push moved through. Dust settled slow over places now empty of the ones who’d been hiding there.
Freed survivors reached a safe spot for health exams plus identification, with search teams still chasing the rest of the militants. Some moved at night; others waited daylight. A checkpoint near the river slowed supplies. Smoke rose from burned trucks three miles east. Patrols circled wider each morning. One officer noted footprints leading into thick brush. Radio chatter spiked after midnight. Drones scanned tree lines by dawn.
These days, soldiers are pushing deeper into rebel areas in Nigeria’s North-East, hunting down hideouts where militants once moved freely. Operation HADIN KAI now moves faster, cutting through forests and villages alike. With each sweep, fighters lose ground they held for years. Troops advance not just with force but with sharper planning behind every move. Where gunfire echoed before, silence grows. Commanders watch closely as old camps collapse under pressure from above and on foot. Progress shows slowly, yet steadily, in places long forgotten.
