The Nigerian military has successfully rescued 78 citizens who were held hostage in the northeastern region of the country, the Premium Times of Nigeria reported. Five militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were killed in the operation.
The above information was confirmed by Mr. Onyema Nwachukwu, spokesman for the Nigerian army, on March 23.
He said that on March 22, the combat team (CT) of the army's 7th Division conducted an active patrol and cleared six villages. Accordingly, during the operation, the CT approached the terrorists and had a fierce gunfight.
Tantatu Ward village in Kaduna state (Nigeria) has recorded 87 people kidnapped this month.
"The brave troops also rescued 78 people, including 35 women and 43 children who were held hostage," Mr. Nwachukwu revealed.
The items seized by the army after this operation were a flag and a mobile phone belonging to the gunmen. The rescued victims are being kept for preliminary investigation and documentation.
Spokesman Nwachukwu said the military would continue efforts to eliminate terrorism and insurgency in the country's northeast.
In other developments, AFP reported that Nigeria has been struggling with soaring food prices after the government withdrew fuel subsidies and floated the naira in an effort to revive the economy.
Inflation in Nigeria has hit a three-decade high of 31.7%. This has left many people unable to afford basic goods, most of whom live on $2 a day.
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