308 Hostages Rescued in Nigeria After Months of Captivity

WHO:

Fox News - 308 hostages were held by militants in Nigeria.

ABC News - The freed captives included mostly women and children.

ABC News - Nigerian President Bola Tinubu described the rescue operation as the “largest rescue operation ever” undertaken on a single day.

WHAT:

Fox News - 308 hostages were rescued in Nigeria's Kwara State after months of captivity.

ABC News - At least 163 Nigerian captives were among those freed and were handed over to authorities for medical attention.

ABC News - The captives had been held for six months and described their experiences of starvation, forced births, and burying fellow captives.

WHERE:

Fox News - The rescue operation took place in Kwara State, Nigeria.

ABC News - The captives were handed over in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State.

WHEN:

ABC News - The captives were abducted on February 3 when militants stormed the village of Woro.

WHY:

ABC News - The kidnappings and killings were suspected to be a punishment for local resistance to the preachings of the jihadis.

HOW:

ABC News - The exact methods of how the captives were rescued from the forest hideouts were not disclosed by local authorities.

(UPDATED August 8, 2026 16:27 UTC)

In a significant development, 308 hostages have been rescued in Nigeria's Kwara State after enduring six months of captivity, with many of them being women and children. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu hailed the operation as the "largest rescue operation ever" conducted in a single day, and at least 163 of the freed captives have been handed over to authorities for medical attention following their harrowing experiences. While the exact methods used to carry out the rescue remain undisclosed, the captives had been abducted on February 3 when militants attacked the village of Woro, reportedly as a punishment for local resistance to their preachings.