In a significant breakthrough, troops from the Operation Hadun Kai have successfully rescued another Chibok schoolgirl, Ihyi Abdul, in Bama, Borno State.
This brings the total number of rescued Chibok girls to 19, a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to reunite the abducted girls with their families.
The Theater Commander, Operation Hadun Kai, Maj. Gen. Wahidu Shaibu, confirmed the rescue during a press briefing at the Theater Command Headquarters in Maimamalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.
Gen. Shaibu praised the troops for their bravery and dedication, stating that the rescue was a testament to their commitment to ending the insurgency and restoring peace to the North East region.
Ihyi Abdul, 27, was rescued on June 23, 2024, along with her two children, during an offensive operation conducted by troops of the 21 Special Armored Brigade (SAB) within the Sambisa Forest. She was identified as number 67 on the list of abducted Chibok School Girls published by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) in 2014.
According to the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. AGL Haruna, Ihyi Abdul was forcefully married to a terrorist, Abu Darda, in 2014, and later relocated to Senegal. After Abu Darda’s neutralization, she was married to another terrorist, Bana, and resided in Garin Mustapha, Njimiya, in Sambisa Forest.
He said the rescued Chibok girl and her children have undergone thorough medical examination and treatment at a military medical facility. She is currently three months pregnant and receiving appropriate care.
The Borno State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo, represented by the Director of Social Welfare, Hajiya Aisha Shettima, received Ihyi Abdul and her children on behalf of the state government.
The commissioner thanked the military for their efforts and assured that the girl and her children would receive proper care and support at the Rehabilitation Center in Biulumkutu.