Troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation Hadin Kai have rescued 74 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) from a possible Boko Haram abduction along the Buratai–Kamuya road in Borno State.
According to reliable security sources, the corps members (36 men and 38 women) were on their way to their posting destinations when their buses broke down near a notorious kidnapping zone late on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
The soldiers reportedly acted on an alert from CCTV surveillance systems monitored by the Joint Task Force (JTF), which detected unusual movements involving three stationary vehicles in the area at around 9:05 p.m.
Troops immediately mobilized to the scene, where they found the stranded corps members and swiftly evacuated them, averting what could have been a major terrorist abduction.
“The troops arrived just in time. They found 74 NYSC members stranded after their vehicles broke down and immediately moved them to safety before insurgents could strike,” a military source confirmed.
Further investigations revealed that the corps members had earlier been escorted from Maiduguri to Damaturu by soldiers of the 7 Division Garrison, but later continued their trip to Hawul Local Government Area without notifying the Sector 2 Headquarters or securing a new military escort.
The rescued corps members are currently being accommodated at the Buratai military base, where arrangements are being made to ensure their safe relocation to their destinations.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama, who first reported the incident, commended the troops’ swift response, noting that the intervention likely prevented another mass abduction similar to past Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks targeting travelers in the region.
The Nigerian Army has continued to maintain an active presence in the North-East, intensifying patrols to safeguard civilians from insurgent threats along major highways.