Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 4 Brigade have rescued 14 kidnapped victims following a swift operation against suspected kidnappers along the Lagos–Benin Expressway in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The rescue, carried out under Operation WABAIZIGAN by troops of the 4 Brigade under the 2 Division, followed a distress report of a kidnap incident on the busy highway.
According to the Army, soldiers on routine patrol received credible intelligence at about 9:30 p.m. on July 30 and immediately pursued the suspected kidnappers.
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The sustained pursuit forced the kidnappers to abandon 11 of the victims before fleeing into the surrounding forest.
A follow-up clearance operation conducted the next day led to the rescue of the remaining three victims, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 14.
The Army said all the victims underwent preliminary medical assessment, were found to be in stable condition and were reunited with their families or allowed to continue their journeys.
Security operatives are continuing efforts to track down the fleeing kidnappers.
The Army described the operation as a demonstration of its intelligence-driven approach to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes in collaboration with other security agencies.
It also urged members of the public to continue sharing credible information that could assist security agencies in preventing criminal activities.
Commander of the 4 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Balogun, praised the troops for their professionalism and bravery, assuring residents and road users that the military would sustain operations to protect lives and property and deny criminal elements safe havens.
