The Nigerian military transferred over 400 women and children to local authorities on Monday. These individuals had been forcibly taken earlier this year by the jihadist group Boko Haram in Borno State, located in the country’s northeast.

Since its 2009 insurgency, Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), have left a trail of destruction—tens of thousands of lives lost and millions displaced across Nigeria’s most populous region.

Mass abductions, often followed by ransom demands, have become a hallmark of the militants’ tactics, with military operations frequently cited as the means of rescue.

Military officials confirmed Sunday that around 360 individuals were freed over the weekend, not through direct negotiations with Boko Haram, but as a result of intelligence-driven military operations. An additional 82 were released “two to three weeks ago,” according to Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, bringing the total to approximately 434 rescued captives.

The victims were seized from the village of Ngoshe, less than 10 kilometers from the Cameroonian border, in the rugged Gwoza hills—a region long plagued by Boko Haram’s brutal campaigns. Ngoshe itself has endured repeated attacks by the insurgents over the years.

“We thank Allah for this liberation,” said Hassana Buba, a 43-year-old survivor now in the displaced persons’ camp at Pulka, where the former captives were officially handed over. “We are deeply grateful and celebrating this miracle,” she added.

While authorities deny paying ransoms—despite widespread claims from analysts and victim families—reports indicate such payments remain a persistent practice. From July 2024 to June 2025 alone, an estimated $1.66 million in ransoms was reportedly paid to armed groups in Nigeria, including jihadists, armed bandits, and separatist factions, according to findings from Lagos-based SBM Intelligence.