Troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Lokoja, have rescued two kidnapped victims and recovered ₦3.8 million ransom meant for their release in Kogi State.
The operation was confirmed in a statement issued on Monday by the Brigade’s spokesperson, Lt. Hassan Abdullahi, in Lokoja.
According to Abdullahi, the victims—a man and a woman—were rescued on Sunday in Achigili Forest along the Itobe–Adumu–Ejule road by troops deployed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Oguma.
He explained that the rescue followed credible intelligence on the activities of kidnappers in the area and reports of relatives attempting to deliver ransom to secure the victims’ release on November 2.
“Acting swiftly on the information, troops launched a patrol to Achigili Forest to intercept the bandits,” Abdullahi stated. “However, while en route to the location, the soldiers came under fire from the criminals. The troops engaged them with superior firepower, forcing the bandits to abandon the victims and the ransom money before fleeing into the forest with gunshot wounds.”
The troops recovered ₦3.8 million and safely rescued the victims, who were later debriefed to assist in further operations. The recovered cash was returned to them, while they remain in safe custody pending formal handover to the appropriate authorities.
Lt. Abdullahi reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to protecting lives and property across Kogi State and urged residents to support ongoing operations by providing timely and credible information to aid the fight against crime.
