Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 12 Brigade have rescued a woman and her six-month-old baby following a kidnapping incident in Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The victims were among five members of a family abducted by suspected terrorists during an attack on a residence near Solid Rock School in the Ijalu area of Egbe on Wednesday night.
According to the Army, troops swiftly responded to a distress call from the community and immediately launched a rescue operation in collaboration with members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN). The security team pursued the kidnappers along their escape route, placing them under intense pressure.
As a result of the pursuit, the abductors reportedly abandoned the woman and her infant near the Oro axis before fleeing into surrounding bushes.
Confirming the development, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 12 Brigade, said the rescued victims were safely reunited with their family, while efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining abductees and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
“Upon receiving the distress report, troops immediately mobilised alongside members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and commenced a pursuit operation along the terrorists’ withdrawal route,” he stated.
Abdullahi noted that the latest rescue operation is part of ongoing counter-kidnapping efforts by the Brigade across Kogi State. He recalled that troops had rescued 23 passengers during a similar operation along the Ayegunle–Bunu Road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area on June 1.
He further disclosed that soldiers also foiled a kidnapping attempt in Lokoja on May 30, during which one terrorist was neutralised in an ambush operation.
The Army reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding lives and property and urged residents to continue providing timely and credible intelligence to security agencies to aid ongoing security operations.