Troops of the 12 Brigade launched a counter-kidnapping operation in the early hours of Sunday after armed bandits barricaded the Ayegunle-Bunu Road in Kabba-Bunu LGA, abducting passengers travelling through the area.
By IDEA Television News Desk
Troops of the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army rescued 23 kidnapped passengers following a swift overnight operation on Sunday, after armed bandits barricaded a highway in Kogi State and abducted travellers passing through Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area. Two hostages were killed in the attack, and five others were injured before troops could intervene.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Brigade’s spokesperson, Hassan Abdullahi, the military received a distress call at approximately 3:30 a.m. and immediately deployed troops stationed in Kabba to respond. The bandits had blocked the Ayegunle-Bunu Road and forced passengers out of their vehicles before fleeing into the surrounding bush with their captives.
“The pressure from pursuing troops forced the kidnappers to abandon 23 of their captives, who were rescued unharmed and secured.”
— 12 Brigade Nigerian Army statement
Although the attackers had dispersed before soldiers reached the scene, troops launched an aggressive pursuit along the kidnappers’ suspected withdrawal routes. At the attack site, soldiers found two Toyota commercial buses and a HOWO truck abandoned by the roadside — vehicles apparently used in or left behind during the abduction.
The five injured survivors were evacuated to St. Joseph Hospital in Kabba, where they are receiving medical treatment. Troops remained deployed in the area and were conducting intensive search-and-rescue operations to determine whether any victims remained in captivity.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to denying criminal groups freedom of movement and pledged to continue coordinating with other security agencies and community stakeholders to strengthen safety across Kogi and the wider country. The Brigade also called on members of the public to share timely and credible intelligence with security forces to help prevent future attacks.
