DSS, Forest Guards Raid ISWAP Hideout, Rescue 7 Hostages in Borno
The Department of State Services (DSS), in collaboration with forest guards, has rescued seven people abducted by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Borno State following a coordinated operation that culminated in a fierce gun battle inside a forest enclave.
Security sources said the victims were kidnapped on January 19 while gathering firewood near Ajiri Camp on the outskirts of Maiduguri. The group was intercepted by the terrorists during the scavenging exercise and taken deep into the forest.
Two of the abductees reportedly managed to escape and returned to the camp to alert the community. The assailants also released one of the captives on a bicycle to demand a ransom of N20 million, the sources added.
Acting on the intelligence, forest guards working alongside the DSS mobilised swiftly and moved into the area. To avoid detection, the operatives reportedly dismounted their motorcycles and trekked for nearly an hour before closing in on the terrorists’ hideout.
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“They engaged the ISWAP elements in a fierce gun battle, which forced the terrorists to flee and abandon their captives,” a source said.
All seven victims were rescued unharmed and are currently undergoing profiling and receiving support from relevant authorities.
The Commander of the Forest Guards, Hassan Modu, who coordinated the operation, attributed the success to timely intelligence and seamless collaboration with the DSS.
“We moved quietly, on foot, and engaged them. The terrorists fled when they realised we had closed in on their enclave,” Modu said.
He commended the DSS for its operational support and urged residents to continue providing credible information to security agencies to help curb criminal activities in the state.
The forest guards operate as a community-based auxiliary security outfit trained, equipped, and supervised by the DSS. The agency provides them with basic intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance skills, conducts regular drills on tracking and bush operations, and embeds officers to guide their activities.
Under this framework, the forest guards function under the strategic control of the DSS, ensuring professionalism, discipline, and effective coordination in joint operations against terrorists and other criminal elements.
By PRNigeria
