Troops Rescue 14 Kidnap Victims in Edo

Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, operating under the 2 Division, have rescued 14 kidnapped victims following a swift operation along the Lagos–Benin Expressway in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State. The rescue was carried out after security personnel responded promptly to a distress call reporting the abduction of travellers on the busy highway.

According to the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, troops immediately launched a pursuit of the kidnappers after receiving intelligence about the incident. The military team tracked the suspects into a nearby forest, where they engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun battle that forced the criminals to flee deeper into the bush.

The Army said all 14 victims were rescued unharmed during the operation. The victims were subsequently taken to a secure location, where they received preliminary medical attention before being reunited with their families. Troops also recovered items believed to have been abandoned by the fleeing kidnappers during the encounter.

Captain Anyanwu noted that troops have sustained combing operations across the surrounding forests to apprehend the fleeing suspects and dismantle criminal hideouts in the area. He reiterated the Nigerian Army's commitment to protecting lives and property, particularly along major highways that have witnessed recurring incidents of kidnapping.

The military also appealed to members of the public to continue providing timely and credible intelligence to security agencies, stressing that community cooperation remains vital in the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes. The Lagos–Benin Expressway has in recent years become a hotspot for criminal activities, prompting increased security operations by the military and other law enforcement agencies