Troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, have rescued kidnapped victims from the Daarul-Kitab Islamic Orphanage and intercepted a suspected terrorist ammunition courier during separate operations in Kogi State.
The operations, conducted on May 6 under Operation TIGER PAW II, were described by the military as part of ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and criminal activities across the North Central region.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Lt. Hassan Abdullahi, shared on the Nigerian Army’s Facebook page on Thursday, the rescued victims were found following sustained search-and-rescue operations around the Agbaja Forest area in Lokoja Local Government Area.
The victims included five boys, two girls and two adult women believed to be wives of the orphanage proprietor.
Troops attached to the Brigade’s Blocking Force reportedly intercepted the kidnappers and secured the release of the victims after acting on credible intelligence and maintaining pressure on criminal elements operating in the area.
The military said the victims were immediately evacuated to the 12 Brigade Medical Centre, where they received medical attention and first aid.
They were reported to be in stable condition.
In a separate operation on the same day, troops acting on intelligence intercepted a suspected arms courier along the Obajana–Lokoja road in Lokoja Local Government Area.
The suspect, identified as Yahaya Umar, was allegedly found with 500 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO belted ammunition concealed inside a bag of maize in what authorities described as an attempt to avoid detection.
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Preliminary investigations, according to the Army, indicated that the suspect played a key role in transporting arms and ammunition for terrorist groups operating across states in the North Central zone.
Investigators further disclosed that the ammunition was reportedly handed over to the suspect in the Obajana Forest and was being transported to Dikko Junction in Suleja, Niger State, for delivery to an unidentified recipient believed to be linked to terrorist activities.
The suspect remains in military custody and is undergoing further interrogation as security agencies intensify efforts to dismantle the wider logistics network behind the movement of illegal arms and ammunition.
The Nigerian Army said the successful operations demonstrated its continued commitment to protecting lives and property while sustaining pressure on terrorists and their collaborators.
The military also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing counterterrorism operations.
