Troops of the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have rescued nine kidnapped victims and intercepted a suspected terrorist ammunition courier in separate coordinated operations carried out in Kogi State.
The Army disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, spokesman of the brigade.
According to the statement, the rescue operation was conducted under Operation Tiger Paw II following sustained search-and-rescue efforts after the recent attack on the Daarul-Kitab Islamic Orphanage in the state.
Abdullahi said troops, acting on credible intelligence and maintaining pressure on criminal elements, successfully recovered the victims in the Agbaja Forest area of Lokoja Local Government Area.
“The rescued victims comprised five boys, two girls, and two adult females, believed to be the wives of the proprietor of the orphanage,” he said.
He added that the victims were immediately evacuated to the 12 Brigade Medical Centre, where they received medical attention and first aid.
“All victims are reported to be in stable condition,” the statement added.
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In a separate operation conducted the same day, troops reportedly intercepted a suspected terrorist logistics courier along the Obajana–Lokoja Road in Lokoja LGA.
The suspect, identified as Yahaya Umar, was allegedly caught with 500 rounds of 7.62mm NATO belted ammunition concealed inside a bag of maize.
According to the Army, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect serves as a logistics courier responsible for transporting arms and ammunition to terrorists operating across the North-Central region.
Further interrogation reportedly showed that the ammunition was handed over to him within the Obajana Forest and was being transported to Dikko Junction in Suleja, Niger State, for delivery to another suspected terrorist operative.
“The suspect is currently in custody and undergoing further interrogation to aid ongoing operations aimed at dismantling the criminal network and apprehending other members of the syndicate,” Abdullahi stated.
The Army said the successful operations demonstrate its continued commitment to combating terrorism, kidnapping, and other criminal activities threatening lives and property in the region.
It also urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information.