The military  yesterday claimed the rescue  of women and children hostages from a Boko Haram Islamist stronghold, saying troops killed several insurgents during recent gun battles in the area.
The Bulabulin Ngararam area of the  city of Maidugari, where the fighting occurred is considered an enclave of the radical islamist.
The military battled Boko Haram fighters in the area from July 3-July 8, killing some terrorists, spokesman Lt Col Sagir Musa said in a statement.
“Many abducted women, children and girls were rescued and handed over to their families, he added.
Boko Haram, which has said it is fighting to create an Islamic State in Nigeria’s mainly muslim north, has been accused of carrying out series of abduction across the region.
The military also said it discovered a series of bunkers dug by the insurgents at the site. A number of bodies were also found, Musa said.
The dead included people killed by the terrorists as well as the bodies of presumed Boko Haram fighters which had been buried in the area, according to Musa.
He mentioned “mass graves found amid the bunkers, but provided no figures or details.
Nigeria has claimed huge success against Boko Haram during offensive, but insurgents attacks have been persistent in some areas.
There have been three attacks targeting schools in recent weeks in three locations, leaving more than 50 people dead, most of whom were students.
The conflict is estimated to have cost 3,600 lives since 2009, including killings by the security services.