Troops Foil Mass Abduction Attempt at FGGC Monguno

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, working alongside personnel of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force (MOPOL), have foiled an attempted mass abduction by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists at the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) in Monguno, Borno State.

The attack took place at about 1:30 a.m. on July 19, 2026, at the school, which is currently being used by the Borno State Government as temporary hostel accommodation for students of the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno.

The development was made known in a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Media Information Officer of the Headquarters Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni.

According to the statement, the terrorists allegedly gained access to the school with the assistance of suspected collaborators as part of a plan to abduct the students staying at the facility.

Security personnel on duty quickly responded by engaging the attackers with coordinated firepower. Troops from the Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force were also deployed to reinforce the school after receiving reports of the attack.

Faced with strong resistance from the combined security forces, the terrorists failed to carry out their mission and fled the area without abducting any student. Although parts of the school buildings were damaged during the exchange of gunfire, the security team succeeded in preventing the attack from escalating.

After the operation, security forces safely evacuated all 46 students from the school to Kinnasara Barracks in Monguno, where they received medical examination and necessary care.

The military confirmed that all the rescued students were medically stable and that none was kidnapped during the attack.

However, the statement disclosed that some students lost their lives after being struck by bullets fired by the terrorists during the gun battle.

Operation HADIN KAI expressed sympathy to the families of the deceased students and assured residents that efforts would continue to protect lives and secure schools and other public facilities across the North-East in collaboration with the Borno State Government.

The military also revealed that investigations were ongoing to identify and arrest those suspected of assisting the attackers. Troops and other security agencies have continued operations to track down the fleeing terrorists.

Operation HADIN KAI said it remains committed to sustaining military operations against terrorist groups, weakening their activities and ensuring that educational institutions and other critical infrastructure across the North-East remain protected.