Army Intensifies Nationwide Offensive, Rescues Kidnap Victims, Arrests Suspects

Army Intensifies Nationwide Offensive, Rescues Kidnap Victims, Arrests Suspects

By Musa Garba, Kaduna

The Nigerian Army has stepped up its nationwide operations, recording a string of gains including the rescue of abducted victims, arrest of suspected terrorists, and disruption of criminal activities across several regions of the country.

Details of the latest operations were tcontained in a situation repor released on Saturday in Abuja.

According to the report, troops deployed under Operation Savannah Shield successfully rescued kidnapped victims in Kwara State after confronting suspected abductors in a forest. The criminals reportedly fled under pressure, abandoning their captives.

In Kogi State, soldiers operating under Operation Mesa apprehended two suspects during raids on criminal hideouts in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area. The operation, carried out in Kakuma and Ijumu communities, also led to the recovery of four motorcycles and two chainsaws.

Military authorities said the suspects, along with the seized items, had been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.

Similarly, troops at the Forward Operating Base in Afaka, located in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, arrested another suspect believed to have links to terrorist groups. Preliminary interrogation indicated that the individual fled a camp following a violent internal dispute between rival commanders identified as Dogo Gide and Kabiru along the Kachia–Kagarko–Chikun corridor.

In the North-east, troops of Operation Hadin Kai sustained pressure on insurgent groups, including the detection and safe neutralisation of improvised explosive devices. Ongoing offensives under Operation Desert Sanity V were also said to be yielding results.

Operations in the North-west saw troops under Operation Fansan Yamma repel attacks in Sokoto and Zamfara States, forcing armed groups to retreat, while search-and-rescue efforts for kidnapped victims continued.

In Lagos, personnel of Operation Mesa arrested 15 individuals in the Ibeju-Lekki area over alleged involvement in illegal oil siphoning. Items recovered during the operation included vehicles, a speedboat engine, pumping equipment and hoses.

Further operations in the South-east involved troops of Operation Udo Ka working alongside police and local vigilantes. The team reportedly encountered multiple improvised explosive devices during a patrol in Anambra State and engaged armed elements, who later retreated.

In the South-south, the army said it intensified efforts against criminal networks, targeting illegal bunkering and drug trafficking, leading to additional arrests.

The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its resolve to sustain ongoing offensives aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and safeguarding lives and property across the country.