Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, in collaboration with personnel of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force (MOPOL), have foiled an attempted mass abduction by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists at the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno, Borno State.
The attack occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday at the school, which is currently being used by the Borno State Government as temporary hostel accommodation for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.
In a statement, the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Capt. Mohammed Goni, said the terrorists allegedly gained access to the facility with the assistance of suspected collaborators in an attempt to abduct the students.
According to him, alert security personnel immediately engaged the attackers with coordinated firepower, while the Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force reinforced the school.
“Confronted by the superior combat capability and determined resistance of the security forces, the terrorists were forced to abandon their criminal mission and flee in confusion without achieving their objective,” Goni said.
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He noted that although parts of the school’s infrastructure were damaged during the exchange of gunfire, the attack was successfully contained by troops working alongside the police.
Following the operation, the military said all 46 students in the facility were rescued and evacuated to Kinnasara Barracks in Monguno, where they received medical assessment and treatment.
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“All rescued students have been confirmed medically stable and no student was abducted,” the statement said.
The military, however, disclosed that some students were killed after being struck by stray bullets fired by the terrorists during the gun battle.
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“Regrettably, some students were fatally struck by the sporadic gunfire from the terrorists during the firefight,” Goni said.
Operation HADIN KAI extended its condolences to the families of the deceased and assured residents that troops would continue working with the Borno State Government and other security agencies to protect lives and critical public infrastructure across the North-East.
The military added that efforts were ongoing to identify and arrest suspected collaborators, while security forces were pursuing the fleeing terrorists.
