Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, under the 2 Division participating in Operation WABAIZIGAN, have rescued 14 kidnapped victims following a swift response to a kidnap incident along Lagos–Benin Expressway in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The rescue operation was carried out at about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday after troops on routine patrol received credible intelligence about the abduction.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, the troops immediately pursued the kidnappers along their withdrawal route, mounting sustained pressure that forced the criminals to abandon 11 of the victims and flee into the surrounding forest.
The statement said the troops launched a follow-up clearance operation on Friday, July 31, during which they combed the forest and rescued the remaining three victims, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 14.
It added that after preliminary debriefing and medical assessment, all the rescued victims were confirmed to be in stable condition and were reunited with their families or allowed to continue their respective journeys.
The Army said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing kidnappers.
It noted that the successful operation demonstrated the Nigerian Army’s operational readiness, intelligence-driven approach and determination to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes in collaboration with other security agencies.
The statement urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, describing public support as critical to sustaining operational successes and improving security across Edo State.
Meanwhile, the Commander, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their professionalism, proactive posture, resilience and courage during the operation.
He reassured residents of Edo State and commuters within the Brigade’s area of operations of the Army’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
Balogun further affirmed that troops would continue aggressive operations aimed at denying criminal elements safe havens and ensuring a secure environment for all law-abiding citizens.