Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade have rescued 14 people who were abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Lagos-Benin Expressway during a coordinated operation in Edo State.
The rescue was confirmed in a statement issued on Friday by the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, Capt. Kennedy Anyanwu.
According to the statement, the operation was carried out by troops deployed under Operation WABAIZIGAN in Ovia North-East Local Government Area following a kidnapping incident that occurred along the busy highway on Thursday night.
Anyanwu explained that soldiers on routine patrol received credible intelligence at about 9:30 p.m. that armed kidnappers had attacked travellers on the expressway. Acting swiftly, the troops launched a pursuit of the fleeing criminals.
The intense pressure mounted by the soldiers forced the kidnappers to abandon 11 of their captives before escaping into a nearby forest.
The army spokesman said the troops immediately extended the operation into the surrounding forest on Friday through a clearance exercise, leading to the rescue of the remaining three victims and bringing the total number of rescued persons to 14.
He disclosed that all the rescued victims underwent preliminary debriefing and medical examination, with health officials confirming they were in stable condition.
Following the assessment, the victims were reunited with their families and allowed to continue their journeys.
Anyanwu said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing kidnappers, stressing that the successful operation reflected the Nigerian Army’s operational readiness and intelligence-driven approach to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in collaboration with other security agencies.
He also appealed to members of the public to continue supporting security forces by providing timely and credible information that could assist in identifying and apprehending criminal elements.
Meanwhile, the Commander of the 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their bravery, professionalism and resilience during the rescue operation.
Balogun reaffirmed the brigade’s commitment to protecting lives and property across Edo State, particularly along the Lagos-Benin Expressway, assuring residents and road users that military operations would be sustained to eliminate criminal hideouts and deny kidnappers safe havens in the area.
