Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued five kidnap victims abandoned by terrorists fleeing from the military’s counter-terrorism operations in Kogi State.
The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Hassan Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
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Mr Abdullahi said the victims were rescued along the Oshokoshoko-Adankolo route in Adankolo Forest.
“Vigilant troops intercepted five kidnapped victims who had been abandoned by the terrorists while fleeing from the intense military pressure mounted on their camps,” Mr Abdullahi said.
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According to him, the rescue followed recent coordinated ground and air operations targeting terrorist hideouts in forested parts of the state.
He said preliminary findings showed the victims regained their freedom after the terrorists dispersed in the aftermath of ongoing military offensives against their camps.
The army spokesperson added that the victims were evacuated to safety, taken to a military medical facility for treatment and debriefed to obtain intelligence that could support ongoing operations.
“The victims were immediately secured by the troops and evacuated from the forest to a safe location for further assessment and care,” he said.
Mr Abdullahi said efforts were underway to reunite the victims with their families after the completion of medical and administrative procedures.
PREMIUM TIMES reported on 17 June that the Kogi State Government confirmed the killing of Kachala Ibrahim Batijo, a suspected bandit leader linked to the attack on Government Secondary School, Iluke, in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area.
The government said the operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering and security surveillance after armed men allegedly planned attacks on schools in the state.
READ ALSO: Kogi confirms killing of bandit leader linked to school attack
Earlier, on 13 June, the state government imposed security restrictions across parts of the Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, including a ban on commercial motorcycles in several communities, the closure of some markets, and restrictions on fuel sales, citing efforts to disrupt supply networks used by armed groups.
On 1 June, suspected gunmen attacked the Ayegunle Bunu community, killing residents and abducting travellers along the Ayegunle-Bunu road. The Nigerian Army later announced the rescue of 23 kidnap victims following a military operation in the area.
The army also reported on 4 June that troops rescued a woman and her six-month-old child after gunmen abducted five members of a family in Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area.
The latest rescue comes amid sustained military operations targeting criminal groups operating in forests across Kogi State. Military authorities say the offensive will continue until terrorist camps and havens are dismantled.
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