Nigerian security forces rescue 300 kidnapping victims

The Nigerian government announced the rescue of over 300 kidnapped citizens earlier this month. The operation, the largest ever conducted in a single day, involved multiple agencies including the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, military forces, the Department of State Services intelligence agency, and the police. Victims were pulled from a forest in Kainji Lake National Park, an area plagued by crime and lacking state presence.

The rescued individuals included 163 from a single village in Kwara state, and 145 from Niger state. The attack on Woro village, near the Benin border, resulted in over 150 deaths and roughly the same number of kidnappings earlier this year. Suspected jihadists launched a violent assault on the village, burning homes and killing upwards of 165 people after receiving an invitation to preach that was met with silence.

The Nigerian President welcomed the successful rescue, condemning the "beastly attack" and deploying an army battalion to the region. Large ransom payments were made to criminal groups, amounting to $1.66 million between July 2024 and June 2025, according to SBM Intelligence.