The Nigerian military has confirmed the rescue of 21 kidnapped victims, including 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), during a clearance operation in a forest area of Kogi State.
The victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, were rescued from the Egume-Ochaja forest stretch within the 2 Division area of operation.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed the development on Monday, saying 15 of the rescued victims were NYSC members who were among those abducted last week while travelling from Abuja to Bayelsa State.
Onoja said the successful rescue was part of ongoing military operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks and rescuing abducted Nigerians across the country.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria is also happy to announce that a total of 21 victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, 15 of them being National Youth Service Corps members, have just been rescued within the Egume and Ochaja forest stretch in 2 Division area of operation.”
The development comes as the military intensifies operations against terrorists and other criminal elements, particularly following recent abductions in Niger State.
According to Onoja, military formations have continued to work closely with other security agencies and state government institutions through intelligence sharing and coordinated security interventions.
He cited the rescue of 308 abducted persons, predominantly women and children, from the Kainji Lake National Park on August 5 as evidence of the security forces’ growing capacity to locate and rescue victims.
He said troops were maintaining pressure on terrorists operating within and around the Kainji Lake National Park and other identified corridors to prevent further incursions and create conditions for displaced residents to safely return to their communities.
The Defence spokesman assured residents of Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State and neighbouring communities that military operations would continue until the security threats were sufficiently degraded.
“The Armed Forces, therefore, reassures the people of Borgu and their communities that military operations against terrorists and criminals will be sustained in the local government area and its environs to ensure the safety of the community.”
Onoja also appealed to families of abducted persons to remain calm and avoid actions that could compromise ongoing rescue operations. He stressed that credible information remained crucial to the military’s efforts to locate and rescue victims.
He said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, remained committed to rescuing kidnapped victims, protecting civilians and facilitating the return of internally displaced persons to their communities.
Military Records Major Gains in August
Giving an account of military operations across the country in August, Onoja said troops neutralised more than 332 terrorists and criminals, arrested 373 suspects and rescued 610 kidnapped victims.
He added that 201 insurgents surrendered to the military, while troops recovered 88 arms and 2,077 rounds of ammunition during the month.
The military also recovered 686,800 litres of stolen crude oil products and destroyed 21 illegal refining sites as part of operations against oil theft and economic sabotage.
Onoja attributed the gains to intensified kinetic and non-kinetic operations, improved intelligence gathering and enhanced cooperation among security agencies.
He further disclosed that the number of terrorists who surrendered increased from 11 in June to 57 in July and 201 in August, describing the trend as an indication of growing pressure on terrorist groups.
The Defence spokesman said the Chief of Defence Staff commended troops for their sacrifices in rescuing abducted citizens, neutralising terrorists and armed criminals, dismantling criminal networks, disrupting illegal oil bunkering and protecting critical national assets.
