By Segun Oyenibi
Troops of the 12th Brigade, Nigerian Army, in collaboration with Hybrid Forces and local vigilantes, have rescued 17 kidnapped passengers in Kogi State including thirteen adults and four children.
The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 12th Brigade Lokoja, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, confirmed the operation in a statement.
He said the incident occurred on September 10 when troops at the Patrol Base, Apata, received credible intelligence of a kidnap incident at Opamaru Village along the Obajana–Lokoja Road.
According to the statement, the victims, who were travelling in a 17-seater bus from Osun State to Abuja, were intercepted by armed criminals before troops, supported by other security agencies and local vigilantes, swiftly intervened.
The soldiers reportedly trailed the kidnappers’ footprints to Wuro Village in Adavi Local Government Area, where they engaged the criminals in a gun battle.
The statement said several of the kidnappers sustained injuries during the encounter, while all 17 victims were safely rescued.
The Army disclosed that the victims were immediately evacuated to the 12th Brigade Medical Centre for first aid and stabilization.
The Nigerian Army reassured residents of its commitment to safeguarding lives and property and urged citizens to continue providing timely information to support ongoing operations against banditry and other criminal activities in the state.
Edited by Ajifa Ainoko
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