The Kogi State government has announced the successful rescue of five kidnapped victims by troops of the 12th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, who fought against terrorists and bandits operating in the area. The announcement was presented as the latest result of military operations aimed at confronting armed criminal groups in the state.
According to a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwu, the victims were freed during coordinated air and ground offensives carried out in the Kogi forests. The combined operations were described as a sustained push against the criminals holding the captives.
The statement explained that the military pressure forced the criminals to abandon their captives while fleeing the advancing troops. In that way, the five victims were recovered as the armed group retreated under the weight of the offensive.
The authorities added that the rescue builds on recent successes in the Buno Local Government Area, where security forces had already neutralized terrorists, freed victims and destroyed criminal camps. The latest operation was framed as part of that continuing effort to dismantle the networks behind the kidnappings.
In the statement, the state government commended the Nigerian Army, the Air Force, the police, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and local vigilante groups for their professionalism and courage during the operations. The contribution of the different security agencies was presented as decisive to the outcome.
The state government also expressed its appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and to the National Security Adviser for their support in strengthening Nigeria's security architecture. The message tied the rescue to a broader push to improve the response to the kidnappings affecting communities in the state.