Troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Lokoja, have rescued two kidnapped victims and recovered ₦3.8 million ransom intended for their release.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday in Lokoja by the Brigade Spokesperson, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi.
According to Abdullahi, the two victims, a male and a female, were rescued on Sunday in Achigili Forest along the Itobe–Adumu–Ejule road by troops from the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Oguma.
“In a sustained effort to rid Kogi of criminal activities, the troops followed credible intelligence on kidnapping activities along the Itobe–Adumu–Ejule axis, as well as reports of victims’ relatives attempting to deliver ransom to secure their release on Nov. 2.
“Troops acted swiftly on the information and projected a patrol to Achigili Forest to intercept the bandits.
“However, while en route to the location, the troops came under fire from the criminals.
“In the ensuing exchange, the gallant soldiers engaged the bandits with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon two victims along with the ransom money.
“The criminals subsequently fled into the forest with various degrees of gunshot wounds.
“Following the encounter, the troops rescued the victims and recovered the sum of ₦3.8 million meant as ransom payment.
“The rescued victims were immediately debriefed to aid further operations, while the recovered cash was handed back to them.
“They are currently in safe custody at the troops’ location pending handover to the appropriate authorities,” Abdullahi said.
Abdullahi reaffirmed that the Nigerian Army remains resolute and unwavering in its mission to protect lives and property.
He further appealed to the public to continue supporting the military and other security agencies with timely and credible intelligence that would assist in combating criminal activities across Kogi State.
