Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued 14 kidnapped victims following a coordinated operation along the Lagos-Benin Expressway in Edo State.
The operation was carried out by troops of the 4 Brigade, Benin, under Operation WABAIZIGAN, after suspected kidnappers abducted travellers along the highway on Thursday night.
In a statement on Friday, the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, Capt. Kennedy Anyanwu, said the troops received credible intelligence about the incident at about 9:30 p.m. while on routine patrol and immediately launched a pursuit of the fleeing kidnappers.
According to him, the sustained pressure mounted by the troops forced the kidnappers to abandon 11 of the victims before escaping into a nearby forest.
He added that the soldiers subsequently conducted a clearance operation in the forest on Friday, leading to the rescue of the remaining three victims.
“All 14 rescued victims underwent preliminary debriefing and medical assessment and were confirmed to be in stable condition,” Anyanwu said.
He disclosed that the victims had since been reunited with their families and allowed to continue their journeys.
The army spokesman said troops were continuing operations to track down and arrest the fleeing kidnappers.
He noted that the successful rescue demonstrated the military’s intelligence-driven approach to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes in collaboration with other security agencies.
Anyanwu also urged members of the public to support security efforts by providing timely and credible information that could aid ongoing operations against criminal elements.
Commending the troops for their professionalism and courage, the Commander of the 4 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Balogun, reaffirmed the army’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property across Edo State and ensuring the safety of commuters along the Lagos-Benin Expressway.
He added that the brigade would sustain aggressive operations to deny criminal groups safe havens and strengthen security along the strategic highway.
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