Crime
DSS and Forest Guards Raid ISWAP Camp, Rescue Abductees in Borno
The Department of State Services (DSS), in a joint operation with Forest Guards, has successfully rescued seven individuals abducted by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants during a fierce gun battle inside a forest enclave in Borno State.
Security sources revealed that the victims were kidnapped on January 19 while collecting firewood near Ajiri Camp on the outskirts of Maiduguri. Two of the abductees managed to escape and alert the community, while the terrorists later released another on a bicycle to demand a ransom of N20 million.
Acting on intelligence, DSS personnel and Forest Guards quickly mobilized to the area. To avoid detection, the operatives dismounted their motorcycles and trekked for nearly an hour before confronting the ISWAP elements, leading to a fierce gunfight. The terrorists eventually fled, abandoning all seven victims, who were rescued unharmed and are now receiving support and undergoing profiling.
Mr. Hassan Modu, Commander of the Forest Guards, attributed the success to timely intelligence and smooth collaboration with the DSS. “We moved quietly on foot and engaged them. The terrorists fled once they realized we had closed in on their enclave,” Modu said. He also urged residents to provide credible information to security agencies to help combat criminal activities.
The Forest Guards, a community-based auxiliary security unit, are trained, equipped, and supervised by the DSS, receiving instruction in intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Regular drills and guidance from the DSS ensure professionalism, discipline, and effective coordination in joint operations against terrorists and criminal elements.
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