DSS, Forest Guards Rescue Seven ISWAP Abductees After Gun Battle in Borno Forest

The Department of State Services (DSS), in collaboration with forest guards, has rescued seven people abducted by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Borno State following a coordinated operation that ended in a fierce gun battle inside a forest enclave.

Security sources said the victims were abducted on January 19 while gathering firewood near Ajiri Camp, on the outskirts of Maiduguri. The group was reportedly intercepted during the activity and taken deep into the forest by the terrorists.

According to the sources, two of the captives managed to escape and returned to the camp to alert residents and security authorities. The assailants were also said to have released one of the victims on a bicycle to convey a ?20 million ransom demand.

Acting on the intelligence, DSS operatives and forest guards swiftly mobilised and advanced towards the terrorists’ hideout. To avoid detection, the operatives reportedly abandoned their motorcycles and trekked for nearly one hour through the forest before closing in on the enclave.

“They engaged the ISWAP elements in a fierce gun battle, which forced the terrorists to flee and abandon their captives,” a security source said.

All seven victims were rescued unharmed and are currently undergoing profiling and receiving necessary support from relevant authorities.

The Commander of the Forest Guards, Hassan Modu, who coordinated the operation, attributed the success to timely intelligence and effective collaboration with the DSS.

“We moved quietly on foot and engaged them. The terrorists fled once they realised we had closed in on their enclave,” Modu said.

He commended the DSS for its operational support and urged residents to continue providing credible information to security agencies to help curb terrorist and criminal activities in the state.

The forest guards operate as a community-based auxiliary security outfit trained, equipped, and supervised by the DSS. Under this arrangement, the DSS provides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance training, conducts regular bush and tracking drills, and embeds officers to guide operations.

Security sources noted that the structure ensures professionalism, discipline, and effective coordination in joint operations against terrorists and other criminal elements across Borno State.