Four persons identified as family members of terrorists have escaped from insurgent enclaves in the Mandara Mountains and surrendered or been intercepted by troops of Operation HADIN KAI in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
A military said a 15-year-old boy, identified as Idi Musa, was intercepted at about 6:25 a.m. on August 9, 2026, by troops of 192 Battalion conducting picketing and fighting patrol duties along the Gwoza–Limankara road.
Preliminary interrogation revealed that Musa had escaped from a terrorist enclave in the Mandara Mountains.
He reportedly disclosed that he was abducted about two years ago while picking mangoes around Dala Village in the Hambagda general area.
According to the security analyst Zagazola Makama, the teenager was forced to cook for other abductees being held within the enclave. He said the task was assigned to him by a terrorist commander identified as Idrisa Taklace.
One Itel mobile phone was recovered from him.
In a separate development at about 9:55 a.m. the same day, three other suspected members of terrorist families 20-year-old Binta Idrisa, 18-year-old Amina Muhammadu and two-year-old Musa Alhaji surrendered to troops of 192 Battalion.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the three had escaped from a terrorist enclave in Chikide, within the Mandara Mountains of Gwoza LGA.
The escapees reportedly said the lack of basic necessities in the terrorist camp compelled them to flee the enclave.
The troops recovered N9,500 from the three escapees.
The four persons were subsequently screened and documented and remain in military custody for further necessary action.
The development highlights the continuing pressure on terrorist enclaves in the Mandara Mountains, with civilians and family members held within the camps increasingly seeking opportunities to escape as military operations intensify across the Gwoza axis.
