308 Nigerian citizens held captive following separate abduction attacks in Kwara and Niger states have been successfully rescued.
Among those brought back to safety were 163 people kidnapped from the Woro Community in Kaiama LGA, Kwara State, alongside 145 victims abducted from Niger State.
The operation marks the largest single-day hostage recovery ever executed by the nation’s joint security apparatus.
The victims were extracted from deep within the Kainji Lake National Park Forest in the New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The rescue followed a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation spearheaded by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in tight collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force.
The 308 rescued individuals are currently receiving first aid and essential medical treatment at the Wawa Cantonment medical facility. Once their medical evaluations are complete, they will be formally handed over to their respective state governments for comprehensive follow-up care and reunification with their families.
Reacting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu warmly welcomed the return of the victims and expressed deep appreciation for the bravery and seamless inter-agency collaboration of the security forces.
“The successful execution of this intelligence-led operation demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among our security services.”
“I commend our gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives,” President Tinubu said.
While celebrating the return of the citizens, the President emphasized the urgent need to prevent future occurrences by ordering security agencies to immediately bolster national early warning systems, intensify community-level intelligence gathering, and improve rapid-response capabilities across vulnerable regions.