In a significant development, the Nigerian Army in the North-East has announced the successful rescue of Lydia Simon, a Chibok girl who had been held captive by Boko Haram terrorists for a decade. This remarkable rescue operation was confirmed in an official statement released by the Department of Army Public Relations earlier today.
Lydia, who has been identified as serial number 68 among the abducted missing Chibok Secondary School girls, was rescued along with her three children by troops participating in Operation Desert Sanity III. The rescue operation took place near Ngoshe in the Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
At the time of her rescue, Lydia was five months pregnant and shared that she hails from Pemi Town in Chibok.
Furthermore, Nigerian Army troops engaged in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North Central region attained another victory on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. They successfully ambushed and neutralised three terrorists who were planning to carry out destructive activities.
Records provided by parents of the abducted schoolgirls reveal that a total of 271 students were initially kidnapped, with 57 managing to escape shortly after the abduction in 2014. Additionally, 103 girls were safely released through the intervention of the Federal Government, while 20 others were freed through the diligent efforts of the state government. However, distressingly, 92 students still remain in captivity.