The Nigerian Army has rescued 11 kidnapped persons during a late-night operation along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway after foiling an attempt by terrorists to move their captives through a bush route.
The development was disclosed by the Nigerian Armed Forces in a statement posted on its official X handle on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the rescue operation was carried out on January 26, 2026, by troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Doka, following intelligence obtained through surveillance.
The Army said troops detected armed terrorists attempting to transport their captives through the Gidan Duna–Amale bush track under the cover of darkness.
“Troops of the Forward Operating Base, Doka, leveraging high-definition, long-range CCTV surveillance, detected armed terrorists attempting to move their captives through the Gidan Duna–Amale bush track under the cover of darkness and immediately initiated a coordinated interception,” the statement said.
It added that the soldiers launched a swift pursuit using tactical vehicles and motorcycles, overwhelming the terrorists and forcing them to abandon the captives and flee into nearby scrubland.
“A swift high-speed pursuit using tactical vehicles and motorcycles overwhelmed the criminals, forcing them to abandon their captives and flee into the surrounding scrubland, thereby averting their escape into the hinterland,” the Army stated.
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The operation led to the rescue of five adult males, three adult females and three children, who had been held in captivity for 92 days.
The Army disclosed that the victims were abducted from Gada Mallam Maman Community on October 26, 2025, and had been in the custody of the terrorists for over three months.
It described the operation as a demonstration of the effective use of modern surveillance technology combined with agile ground operations, stressing its commitment to denying criminal elements freedom of movement.
The military reaffirmed its resolve to sustain pressure on terrorist and criminal elements operating along major highways and surrounding communities to ensure the safety of lives and property.