By Harriet Tornguvan
Troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, have rescued kidnapped victims and foiled an alleged terrorist logistics operation in Kogi State during coordinated operations carried out on Wednesday.
The operations, conducted under Operation TIGER PAW II, led to the rescue of victims abducted from the Daarul-Kitab Islamic Orphanage as well as the arrest of a suspected ammunition courier linked to terrorist activities in the North Central region.
In a statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, troops sustained pressure on criminal elements through intelligence-driven operations across parts of Lokoja Local Government Area.
According to the statement, troops of the Brigade’s Blocking Force successfully intercepted and rescued the remaining abducted victims within the Agbaja Forest area following sustained search and rescue operations.
The rescued victims included five boys, two girls and two adult women believed to be wives of the proprietor of the orphanage.
The Army said the victims were immediately evacuated to the 12 Brigade Medical Centre where they received first aid and medical attention, adding that all of them were in stable condition.
In a separate operation conducted on the same day, troops acting on credible intelligence intercepted a suspected terrorist ammunition courier along the Obajana-Lokoja road.
The suspect, identified as Yahaya Umar, was allegedly caught with 500 rounds of 7.62mm NATO belted ammunition concealed inside a bag of maize.
Military authorities said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was part of a logistics network involved in the movement of arms and ammunition for terrorists operating across states in the North Central zone.
The statement further disclosed that the ammunition was allegedly handed over to the suspect at Obajana Forest and was being transported to Dikko Junction in Suleja, Niger State, for onward delivery to another suspected terrorist operative.
The suspect is currently in military custody and undergoing further interrogation as security agencies intensify efforts to dismantle the criminal syndicate and apprehend other collaborators.
The Nigerian Army said the successful operations underscored its commitment to protecting lives and property while sustaining offensive operations against terrorists and criminal networks.
It also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing security operations across the country.
