Nigerian Army rescues 14 kidnap victims on Lagos-Benin Expressway

Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, have rescued 14 kidnap victims following a swift operation along the Lagos-Benin Expressway in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The successful rescue was carried out by soldiers participating in Operation WABAIZIGAN after kidnappers attacked travellers along the highway on Thursday night.

The Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Friday.

According to him, troops on routine patrol received credible intelligence about the abduction at about 9:30 p.m. and immediately launched a pursuit of the kidnappers along their escape route.

> “The sustained pressure mounted by the troops forced the kidnappers to abandon 11 abducted victims before fleeing into the surrounding forest,” Anyanwu said.

He explained that the soldiers subsequently conducted a follow-up clearance operation in the forest on Friday, leading to the rescue of the remaining three victims.

According to the Army spokesman, all 14 rescued victims underwent preliminary debriefing and medical examination and were confirmed to be in stable condition.

The victims have since been reunited with their families and allowed to continue their journeys.

Anyanwu added that security operatives are continuing efforts to track down and arrest the fleeing kidnappers.

He noted that the operation demonstrated the Nigerian Army’s intelligence-driven strategy and operational readiness in tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in collaboration with other security agencies.

The Army also appealed to members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information that would assist security agencies in ongoing operations against criminal elements.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their professionalism, resilience and courage during the rescue mission.

Balogun reassured residents of Edo State and commuters travelling along the Lagos-Benin Expressway of the brigade’s commitment to protecting lives and property.

He added that troops would sustain aggressive operations aimed at denying criminal elements safe havens while ensuring a safer environment for law-abiding citizens.