Troops of the 7 Guards Battalion under the Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army have rescued 19 kidnapped residents during a coordinated security operation in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The operation, carried out in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and local vigilante groups, targeted a suspected kidnappers’ hideout around Gidan Dogo following credible intelligence on the whereabouts of criminals linked to recent abductions in the Byazhin area of Bwari.
Security sources disclosed that the troops encountered the suspected kidnappers shortly after storming the location, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire.
During the gun battle, one of the suspected kidnappers was neutralised, while others fled the scene, reportedly sustaining gunshot wounds.
Further search and exploitation of the area by the troops led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle and a locally fabricated firearm believed to have been used by the criminals.
All 19 kidnapped victims were successfully rescued during the operation and immediately evacuated to safety.
The victims are currently receiving medical attention, while the troops have since returned to their Forward Operating Base in Bwari.
Reacting to the development, the Commander of the Guards Brigade, Brigadier-General Adebisi Onasanya, commended the troops and collaborating security agencies for their courage, coordination, and professionalism during the operation.
Onasanya reaffirmed the brigade’s commitment to protecting residents of the Federal Capital Territory and securing Abuja as the nation’s seat of power.
He added that the Guards Brigade would continue to intensify joint operations with other security agencies to rid the territory and surrounding communities of kidnapping, terrorism, and other criminal activities.
