On Monday, Major General Waidi Shaibu, the Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force Northeast Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), handed over Ihyi Abdu, a rescued Chibok girl, to the Borno State Government. During a press conference at the Headquarters Theatre Command Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, General Shaibu emphasized how crucial military operations are for restoring peace and aiding socio-economic growth in the region.
He stressed that efforts to rescue the remaining Chibok girls from terrorist captivity are ongoing, with OPHK dedicated to this mission under the strategic direction of Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa and Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja. Brigadier General Abubakar Haruna, Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Sector 1 OPHK, shared details about the rescue mission.
According to Brigadier General Haruna, Ihyi Abdu, now 27, and her two children were rescued by troops from the 21 Special Armoured Brigade Bama during an operation in the Sambisa Forest in June 2024. Ihyi, who belongs to the Kibaku tribe from Kubur-Mbula village in Chibok LGA, was forcibly married to Abu Darda, from Plateau State, in Gwoza town in 2014. Darda later moved to Senegal. Following their rescue, Ihyi and her children underwent thorough medical check-ups. Alongside Ihyi and her children, 330 women and children rescued by OPHK troops were also handed over to the Borno State Government. Representing the Theatre Commander at the handover event, Navy Captain Mohammed Abdullahi, Chief J9 (Civil Military Affairs), credited the rescues to the successful logistics strangulation strategy used during the wet season operations. He also commended the Borno State Government for its critical support of the non-military aspects of the military’s efforts.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development of Borno State, represented by Director of Social Welfare Mrs. Aishatu Shettima, received the rescued individuals. Mrs. Shettima thanked the military for their vigilance and dedication in rescuing Ihyi and the other women and children. She assured that the rescued individuals would receive comprehensive psycho-social support, family tracing services, skill acquisition training, and educational opportunities for the children before being reunited with their families.
