Troops involved in various internal security operations across the country have rescued two kidnapped women in Kwara State and foiled fresh abduction attempts in Ondo and Niger states as security forces sustained operations against criminal elements.
According to an operational report obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, the successful operations were carried out by troops deployed under different military formations across the affected states.
The report revealed that troops of Operation Savannah Shield rescued two women who had been kidnapped in Kwara State during a fighting patrol conducted in the Ndanaku-Lata area of Patigi Local Government Area.
The victims were reportedly abducted on April 2 while returning from Patigi Market along the Ndanaku-Mari village road.
Preliminary investigations showed that the women, who are residents of the Ndanaku community, were abandoned by their captors along the Lata-Ndanaku forest corridor after military pressure forced the kidnappers to flee.
Following their rescue, the victims received necessary assistance from the troops before being reunited with their families.
The report also disclosed that troops of the Nigerian Army attached to the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bangi in Niger State successfully thwarted an attempt by suspected terrorists to abduct farmers along the Kukata-Kotonkoro road in Mariga Local Government Area.
The troops reportedly engaged the attackers in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon their operation and retreat into nearby forests.
Military reinforcements later launched a pursuit operation against the fleeing suspects, while traces of blood discovered along their escape route suggested that some of the criminals may have sustained injuries during the encounter.
In Ondo State, troops of Operation MESA, working in collaboration with the police and other security agencies, prevented two separate kidnapping attempts in Owo Local Government Area.
Security operatives were said to have responded swiftly after receiving distress calls from residents regarding attempted abductions in Ojana New Area and Igbegun Area near the Owo Housing Estate.
The rapid intervention of the joint security team disrupted the operation and compelled the armed suspects to flee into surrounding bushes before they could carry out the kidnappings.
Authorities confirmed that the intended victims and their family members were rescued unharmed during the operation.
However, one civilian sustained a gunshot injury to the leg during the incident and was immediately evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, for medical treatment.
Following the incident, troops conducted extensive bush-combing and pursuit operations aimed at tracking down the fleeing suspects.
Security agencies have also intensified surveillance and patrol activities across the affected communities to prevent further attacks and reassure residents.
The military noted that the successful operations demonstrate the continued commitment of security forces to combating kidnapping, protecting lives and securing vulnerable communities across the country.
The report further emphasised that coordinated operations involving the military, police and other security agencies remain critical to ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity and dismantle criminal networks operating in different parts of Nigeria.
