Troops rescue 14 kidnap victims on Lagos-Benin highway

Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin, have rescued 14 people abducted by suspected kidnappers during a coordinated operation along the Lagos-Benin Expressway in Edo State.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, Capt. Kennedy Anyanwu.

According to the statement, the rescue mission was carried out by troops deployed for Operation WABAIZIGAN in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State following a kidnapping incident that occurred along the highway on Thursday night.

Anyanwu explained that soldiers conducting a routine patrol received credible intelligence about the attack at about 9:30 p.m. and immediately launched a pursuit of the fleeing kidnappers.

He said the swift response and sustained pressure from the troops forced the suspects to abandon 11 of the abducted victims before escaping into a nearby forest.

The army spokesman added that a follow-up clearance operation conducted in the forest on Friday led to the rescue of the remaining three victims, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 14.

“All 14 rescued victims underwent preliminary debriefing and medical assessment and were confirmed to be in stable condition,” he said.

He noted that the victims had since been reunited with their families and allowed to continue their journeys.

Anyanwu stated that security operatives were continuing efforts to track down and arrest the fleeing kidnappers, stressing that the operation demonstrated the Nigerian Army’s operational readiness and intelligence-led strategy in combating kidnapping and other violent crimes in collaboration with sister security agencies.

He also appealed to members of the public to support ongoing security operations by providing timely and credible information that could aid the arrest of criminal elements.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the 4 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their courage, professionalism and resilience during the rescue mission.

Balogun reaffirmed the brigade’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property across Edo State and along the Lagos-Benin Expressway, assuring residents and motorists that troops would sustain intensified operations to flush out criminal elements and deny them safe havens.