Nigerian troops have rescued two female abduction victims and successfully foiled several kidnapping attempts across three states, demonstrating sustained military pressure on criminal elements nationwide.
According to Operation Savannah’s situation report released on Wednesday, the rescue occurred during a fighting patrol in the Ndanaku-Lata general area of Patigi Local Government Area, Kwara State. The two women, both residents of Ndanaku community, were abducted on April 2 while returning from Patigi Market along the Ndanaku-Mari village road.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the captors abandoned their victims along the Lata-Ndanaku forest axis before fleeing. The troops subsequently reunited the rescued women with their families after providing necessary medical and psychological support.
In a related development, troops stationed at Forward Operating Base Bangi in Niger State intercepted terrorists attempting to kidnap farmers along the Kukata-Kotonkoro road in Mariga Local Government Area. Military personnel engaged the assailants in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon their mission and retreat into the forest. Pursuit operations later uncovered blood trails along the criminals’ escape route, suggesting casualties among the fleeing suspects.
Meanwhile, joint security forces comprising Operation MESA troops, police and other agencies thwarted two separate abduction attempts in Owo Local Government Area, Ondo State. Security operatives responded swiftly to distress calls reporting imminent kidnappings at Ojana New Area and Igbegun Area, off Owo Housing Estate.
The coordinated intervention disrupted both operations, compelling the armed criminals to flee into nearby bushes. All intended victims and their family members were rescued unharmed, though one civilian sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the incident and has been evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, for treatment.
Following the incidents, troops conducted extensive bush-combing and pursuit operations to track down the fleeing suspects. Security surveillance has been significantly reinforced across the affected communities.
The successful operations underscore the military’s unwavering commitment to curbing kidnapping and protecting vulnerable populations across the country, as security forces continue to adapt their countermeasures against evolving criminal threats.
