Troops of the 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, working with Hybrid Forces and local vigilantes, have rescued 17 kidnapped victims, including four children, during a successful operation in Kogi State. The victims, who were travelling in a 17-seater bus from Osun State to Abuja, were abducted on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, by armed criminals at Opamaru Village along the Obajana–Lokoja Road.
According to Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, the rescue mission began after troops at the Apata Patrol Base received credible intelligence on the abduction. The soldiers, reinforced by the Brigade Quick Response Group, swiftly mobilized and tracked the kidnappers to Wuro Village in Adavi Local Government Area, where they engaged the criminals. Outgunned, the kidnappers abandoned all 17 victims and fled into the bush with gunshot injuries.
The freed passengers were taken to the 12 Brigade Medical Centre for first aid and stabilization. The Nigerian Army reiterated its commitment to safeguarding lives and property across Kogi State and beyond, while urging the public to support its operations with timely intelligence to help defeat criminal activities.