Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, working alongside personnel of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force (MOPOL), have foiled an attempted mass abduction by suspected ISWAP terrorists at the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Monguno, Borno State.
The attack occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at the school facility, which is currently being used by the Borno State Government as temporary hostel accommodation for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, the terrorists allegedly gained access to the premises with the assistance of suspected collaborators and attempted to abduct the students.
The statement said alert security personnel immediately engaged the attackers with coordinated firepower, while the Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force swiftly reinforced the school.
It added that the overwhelming response from the troops and police forced the terrorists to abandon the operation and flee without succeeding in their mission.
Although parts of the school’s infrastructure were damaged during the exchange of gunfire, security forces successfully contained the attack.
Following the operation, all 46 students were rescued and evacuated to Kinnasara Barracks in Monguno, where they received medical assessment and appropriate care. The military confirmed that all the rescued students were medically stable and that no student was kidnapped.
However, the military disclosed that some students were killed after being struck by sporadic gunfire from the terrorists during the firefight.
Operation HADIN KAI expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and assured residents that security agencies were taking all necessary measures to protect lives and critical public institutions across the North-East in collaboration with the Borno State Government.
The military also revealed that exploitation of the incident was ongoing to identify and apprehend suspected collaborators, while troops and other security agencies had commenced efforts to track down the fleeing terrorists.
Operation HADIN KAI reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on terrorist groups, dismantling their operational capabilities and ensuring the safety of schools and other critical infrastructure across the region.
