Troops of the Nigerian Army have successfully rescued six persons abducted by armed bandits in Kogi State following an intensive security operation in the Ejiba and Saminaka forest axis of Yagba East Local Government Area.
The rescue operation, conducted by soldiers of the 12 Brigade, was revealed on Tuesday in Lokoja through a statement issued by the Brigade’s spokesperson, Lt. Hassan Abdullahi.
According to Abdullahi, the troops launched a coordinated assault combining ground forces with aerial support from a Nigeria Police helicopter.
The sustained pressure from the security team forced the kidnappers to abandon the victims as they fled their hideouts.
Five of the freed individuals have since been reunited with their families in the Egbe and Ejiba communities, while one victim is currently undergoing medical treatment.
The Brigade assured residents that operations would continue until criminal elements are completely rooted out of the affected forests.
Abdullahi emphasized that troops will maintain aggressive patrols, track down hideouts, and ensure that bandits are denied the freedom to operate.
The rescue follows Sunday’s attack on a Cherubim and Seraphim church in Ejiba, where armed men invaded the worship service and abducted the pastor along with several congregants.
Security agencies say efforts to track the perpetrators and prevent further attacks remain ongoing.
