Nigeria announces rescue of 308 kidnapped citizens - Al Jazeera
The Nigerian government has successfully rescued 308 citizens who were kidnapped in separate attacks across Niger and Kwara states. The operation was conducted by a joint security task force and is being hailed as the largest rescue mission of its kind in the country.
Why it matters
This rescue marks a significant tactical victory for the Nigerian government amid ongoing national security concerns regarding mass kidnappings by armed groups.
Kidnapping for ransom by armed groups and bandits has become a major crisis in Nigeria.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has been under growing pressure after a surge in mass kidnappings this year. [Monicah Mwangi/Reuters] (Reuters) By Al Jazeera Staff and AFP Published On 5 Aug 2026 5 Aug 2026 More than 300 people who had been kidnapped across Nigeria have been freed in an intelligence and security operation, the government has announced.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu warmly welcomes the successful rescue of 308 Nigerian citizens who were abducted in different attacks in Niger and Kwara states,” Bayo Onanuga, a special adviser to Nigeria’s president, said in a statement .
The statement said that 163 of those rescued were abducted from the Woro Community in Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State, and 145 were taken from Niger State.
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