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The Nigerian military has rescued 21 people abducted by criminals in Kogi State, including 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), while assuring residents of Niger State that operations against terrorists and other criminal elements in the Borgu axis will continue.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed the rescue on Monday, saying the victims comprised eight males and 13 females.
According to him, the victims were rescued from the Egume-Ochaja forest stretch within the 2 Division area of operations.
Onoja said 15 of those rescued were NYSC members who were among persons abducted last week while travelling from Abuja to Bayelsa State.
“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,” he said.
The rescue comes as the military intensifies operations against terrorists and criminal groups across the country, particularly following recent abductions in Niger State.
Onoja said military formations were working with other security agencies and state government institutions through intelligence sharing and the identification of areas requiring security intervention.
He cited the August 5 rescue of 308 abducted persons, predominantly women and children, from the Kainji Lake National Park as evidence of the security forces’ ability to locate and rescue victims.
“The recent rescue of 308 abducted persons, predominantly women and children, from the Kainji Lake National Park on the 5th of August, alongside subsequent operations to deny terrorists freedom of movement within the Borgu axis, demonstrates the commitment and capability of the security forces to locate, rescue, and safely return affected citizens,” Onoja said.
He said troops were maintaining pressure on terrorists operating in and around the Kainji Lake National Park and other identified corridors to prevent further incursions and create conditions for displaced residents to return to their communities.
The defence spokesman assured residents of Borgu and neighbouring communities that military operations would continue until the security threats in the area 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,” he said.
Onoja also urged families of abducted persons to remain calm and avoid actions that could compromise ongoing rescue operations.
He stressed that credible and timely information remained critical to the military’s efforts to locate and rescue victims.
“To the families of the victims and all persons affected by the heinous activities of terrorists and criminals, the Armed Forces acknowledges the anxiety, pain, and uncertainty that accompanies the loss or affliction of family members and friends.
“We want to urge everybody to remain calm and have confidence in the ongoing efforts of the military and other security agencies, while avoiding actions that could compromise rescue or recovery operations,” he said.
According to Onoja, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, remained committed to rescuing kidnapped persons, protecting civilians and facilitating the return of internally displaced persons to their communities.
He added that the CDS had directed troops to continue operating with determination, professionalism and courage in the fight against terrorism and criminality.