Gallant troops of 12 Brigade Nigerian Army in conjunction with Hybrid Forces and local vigilante have recorded another giant stride in a sustained effort to get rid of banditry and other criminal activities in Kogi State, and successfully rescued 17 kidnapped victims, including 13 adults and 4 children.
The incident occurred on 10 September 2025, when troops deployed at Patrol Base Apata received credible intelligence of a kidnap incident at Opamaru Village along Obajana–Lokoja Road.
A statement signed by lieutenant colonel Hassan Abdullahi, acting assistant director Army public relations,12 Brigade Nigerian Army said the victims, who were travelling in a 17-seater bus from Osun State and headed for Abuja, were intercepted by the criminals before troops swiftly intervened. Without delay, the patrol base reinforced by the Brigade Quick Response Group (QRG) immediately mobilized to the scene.
The statement added that on arrival, the troops discovered a 17-seater bus abandoned by the roadside, completely empty. Employing field craft, the soldiers swiftly trailed the kidnappers’ footprints to Wuro Village in Adavi Local Government Area, where the troops came in contact with the criminals.
It said overpowered by the troops’ superior firepower, the criminals abandoned all 17 kidnapped passengers and fled into the bush with various degrees of gunshot injuries. The rescued victims were immediately evacuated to the 12 Brigade Medical Centre for first aid and stabilization.
The statement therefore reassures the general public of Nigerian Army commitment to safeguarding lives and property, while urging citizens to continue to support the military with timely information to aid ongoing operations.
