The Nigerian army’s 12 Brigade, working with hybrid forces and local vigilantes, has rescued 17 kidnapped victims, 13 adults and 4 children in an ongoing operation to eliminate banditry and other criminal activities in Kogi state.
A statement by the acting assistant director army public relations of 12 Brigade Nigerian army, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, said that the incident occurred on Wednesday September 10, when troops deployed at patrol base Apata received credible intelligence of a kidnap incident at Opamaru Village along Obajana–Lokoja Road.
According to the statement, the victims, who were travelling in a 17-seater bus from Osun State and headed for Abuja, were intercepted by the criminals before troops swiftly intervened and got reinforcement from the patrol base of the brigade Quick Response Group (QRG) and immediately mobilized to the scene.
It also explained that on arrival, the troops discovered a 17-seater bus abandoned by the roadside, completely empty and employing field craft.
The soldiers swiftly trailed the kidnappers’ footprints to Wuro village in Adavi local government area, where the troops came in contact with the criminals.
Overpowered by the troops’ superior firepower, the suspected criminals abandoned all 17 kidnapped passengers and fled into the bush with various degrees of gunshot injuries with the rescued victims immediately evacuated to the 12 Brigade medical centre for first aid and stabilization.
Abdullahi assures the public of the commitment of military to safeguard lives and property, while urging citizens to continue to support the military with timely information to aid ongoing operations.
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