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Episode details

World Service,09 Jun 2026,22 mins

Nigeria: Freed from Boko Haram

Focus on Africa

Available for over a year

At least 360 abductees were rescued by the Nigerian army from an enclave linked to a terrorist group in northeastern Borno State. Most of them being women and children. While the Nigerian Army says the rescue followed weeks of planning and intelligence-led operations that achieved "complete tactical surprise," overwhelming the terrorists and forcing them to abandon their positions and flee into the surrounding mountainous terrain, a different account has emerged. A local group, the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSAYA) says that it facilitated the unconditional release of the abductees and had been in contact with the militants, while online conversations speculate negotiations and possible ransom. We hear from a security expert. And a Rwandan genocide survivor Sabin Nkusi shares how her experiences have driven her commitment to supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Ayuba Iliya and Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango Senior Producer: Keikantse Shumba Editors: Charles Gitonga and Maryam Abdalla

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