JUST IN: Nigerian Army Rescue Five Kidnap Victims as Terrorists Flee Kogi Forest

The Nigerian Army has rescued five kidnapped persons in Kogi State after terrorists reportedly abandoned them while escaping from ongoing military operations targeting criminal hideouts in the state.

Politics Nigeria reports that the rescue took place during a counter-terrorism operation carried out by troops of the 12 Brigade under the 2 Division Nigerian Army.

The operation followed intensified military offensives, including air strikes and ground assaults directed at terrorist camps located in forest areas across Kogi.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 12 Brigade, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, the military said the victims regained their freedom as a result of sustained pressure mounted on criminal elements operating within the area.

According to the statement, troops from the Forward Operating Base in Oshokoshoko were deployed on a blocking mission along the Oshokoshoko-Adankolo route inside the Adankolo Forest following a recent air interdiction mission against a known terrorist enclave.

During the operation, soldiers encountered five kidnapped victims who had been left behind by their captors while the terrorists fled from advancing military forces.

The Army explained that preliminary investigations indicated that the kidnappers abandoned the victims after their camps came under intense pressure from ongoing military operations. The development forced members of the criminal group to disperse in different directions in an attempt to evade capture.

Military authorities said the rescued victims were immediately evacuated from the forest and taken to a secure location for medical care and further assessment.

The statement noted that the victims were later transferred to a military medical facility where they received treatment and were stabilised after their ordeal.

The Army also disclosed that security personnel have begun debriefing the victims in a bid to gather intelligence that could support ongoing efforts to track down and neutralise the fleeing terrorists.

Officials believe information obtained from the victims may provide valuable leads regarding the activities, movement patterns and hideouts of criminal groups operating within the forest corridors of Kogi State.

Military authorities further stated that arrangements are being made to reunite the rescued persons with their families after the completion of medical procedures and necessary documentation.

Commending the troops involved in the operation, the Commander of the 12 Brigade, Brigadier General Kasim Sidi, praised their professionalism, vigilance and commitment to duty.

He reaffirmed the Army’s determination to sustain operations against terrorists and other criminal groups threatening peace and security in the state.

The brigade commander also appealed to residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information, stressing that cooperation from local communities remains vital to the success of ongoing military operations.