ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, supported by personnel of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force, have foiled an attempted mass abduction by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, terrorists at a school facility in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno State, rescuing 46 students.
The military said the terrorists launched the attack in the early hours of Saturday on the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno, a facility currently being used by the Borno State Government as temporary accommodation for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni.
According to the military, the terrorists stormed the school around 1:30 a.m. after allegedly receiving assistance from suspected collaborators who helped them gain access to the premises.
However, security personnel on duty swiftly engaged the attackers while a Quick Reaction Force from Sector 3 reinforced the operation, forcing the insurgents to abandon the planned abduction.
The military said the coordinated response by soldiers and police personnel overwhelmed the terrorists, who fled without taking any student hostage.
READ ALSO Troops Rescue Four Kidnap Victims In Katsina Operations
Although parts of the school were damaged during the exchange of gunfire, all 46 students were successfully evacuated to Kinnasara Barracks in Monguno, where they received medical attention.
Punch reports that the statement confirmed that every rescued student was medically assessed and found to be in stable condition.
The military, however, disclosed that some students lost their lives after they were struck by gunfire fired by the fleeing terrorists during the attack.
It expressed condolences to the bereaved families, describing the deaths as tragic, while assuring residents that efforts to safeguard schools and other critical facilities across the North-East would continue.
Operation HADIN KAI also revealed that investigations were ongoing to identify and arrest individuals suspected of assisting the terrorists in gaining access to the school.
Security forces have equally launched a manhunt for the fleeing insurgents as part of efforts to dismantle their operational networks in the region.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining offensive operations against terrorist groups, stressing that troops would continue to deny insurgents freedom of movement while protecting educational institutions and civilian communities across the North-East.