Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division and Sector 3 of Operation FANSAN YAMA have rescued 21 kidnapped victims during coordinated operations across Kwara and Kogi States.
In a statement released on Saturday in Ibadan, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Polcarp Okoye, said the rescue followed sustained counter-insurgency and anti-banditry operations in the region.
Okoye explained that the joint efforts of the 12 Brigade, Lokoja, and the 22 Armoured Brigade, Ilorin, led to the successful rescue on Friday. The victims, according to him, were abducted from different locations within the two states.
He revealed that the bandits were forced to release their captives after coming under heavy pressure from advancing troops. Some of the rescued persons, he added, had been held in captivity for over four months.
“The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division and Commander Sector 3, Operation FANSAN YAMA, Major General C.R. Nnebeife, who coordinated the operations, ensured that the victims were given immediate medical attention and relief items,” the statement read.
Major General Nnebeife commiserated with the victims and reaffirmed the army’s commitment to eradicating criminal elements from its operational area. He assured that the ongoing military onslaught against bandits would be intensified until lasting peace is restored across Kwara, Kogi, and neighbouring states.
Lt.-Col. Okoye added that the rescued victims, many of whom were weak and traumatised, were evacuated to a military medical facility for treatment and would be reunited with their families upon full recovery.
The GOC also commended the Nigerian Air Force for its aerial support and praised the synergy among security agencies that made the rescue possible. He directed troops to sustain the momentum in their operations to secure the region and protect citizens.