As part of ongoing efforts to weaken bandit logistics and disrupt their movement across vulnerable communities, troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, have rescued six residents who were kidnapped, after sustained pressure forced bandits to abandon them..
The Brigade’s spokesperson, Lt. Hassan Abdullahi, explained that the victims were intercepted after coordinated air and ground offensives placed significant strain on the kidnappers, forcing them to flee deeper into the forests to avoid capture.
Abdullahi said the bandits abandoned the captives after the sustained pressure created multiple contact points along their escape routes, leaving them unable to regroup or hold the hostages.
The operation, conducted on Tuesday in the Ejiba and Saminaka forests of Yagba East Local Government Area, was executed with support from a Nigeria Police helicopter deployed to reinforce ground troops and assist with visual tracking.
The Brigade stated that the combination of aerial surveillance and troop mobility ensured that the victims were reached before the criminals could relocate them.
“Five of the rescued individuals have been reunited with their families in Egbe and Ejiba communities, while the sixth is receiving medical attention,” Lt. Abdullahi said in the statement.
The Brigade urged residents to remain confident in the ongoing security push, stressing that the Nigerian Army will maintain an active presence across forests and rural settlements to prevent criminal gangs from re-establishing dominance.
“Troops will continue to intensify operations, dominate the forests, identify hideouts, and deny criminals the freedom of action,” Abdullahi said.
