Sixteen travellers abducted by kidnappers in Kogi State on Sunday have been rescued by a joint security team comprising troops of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, the Police, local vigilantes and hunters.
The victims were rescued on Monday after the security team engaged their abductors in a fierce firefight in the vicinity of Adumu Community in Dekina Local Government Area of the state.
However, a local hunter who participated in the operation was killed, while a police officer sustained injuries during the encounter.
The victims were abducted on Sunday along the Ojuwo-Ajengo-Memarebo and Ojiwo-Itobe roads in Ofu Local Government Area of the state.
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Col. Appolonia Anele, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
She said the rescue operation followed credible intelligence that the victims had been moved to the vicinity of Adumu Community.
According to her, the intelligence prompted troops of 21 Battalion and personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Lugard to immediately launch a joint search and rescue operation in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, vigilantes and local hunters.
‘During the operation, the joint security team established contact with the fleeing kidnappers and engaged them in a fierce firefight,’ she said.
Anele said the kidnappers, overwhelmed by the superior firepower and coordinated assault of the security forces, abandoned all the victims and fled into the surrounding forest with gunshot wounds.
‘The operation culminated in the successful rescue of all 16 kidnapped victims, comprising six adult males, six adult females and four children,’ she said.
She said the rescued victims were undergoing documentation and medical assessment before being reunited with their families.
Anele, however, said a local hunter who participated courageously in the operation was killed during the encounter.
‘Regrettably, one local hunter who participated courageously in the operation paid the supreme sacrifice. May his soul rest in peace.
‘Also, one police personnel sustained injuries during the encounter and is currently receiving medical treatment,’ she said.
The Army spokesperson commended the bravery and commitment of the fallen hunter and other security personnel involved in the operation, saying their sacrifice demonstrated their dedication to protecting innocent citizens.
She said the successful rescue of the 16 victims underscored the effectiveness of sustained joint operations and the synergy among the Nigerian Army, sister security agencies and local security stakeholders in combating kidnapping and other violent crimes.
‘It also reflects the resolve of security forces to deny criminal elements freedom of action across the country,’ Anele said.