Police Rescue 309 Hostages, Arrest 129 Suspected Terrorists In Kogi, Kwara Operations

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) said coordinated security operations across Kogi and Kwara States has resulted in the rescue of 309 hostages, the arrest of 129 suspected terrorists, and the killing of 55 others.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s current affairs programme, ‘Politics Today’.

Hundeyin explained that some of the suspects were killed during armed confrontations with security operatives, dismissing claims of extrajudicial killings.

“I can confirm that 129 of these terrorists were arrested and 55 were neutralised. I am talking about Kogi and Kwara. Some people might want to say these were extrajudicial killings, so I have to make it clear — these were firefights,” he said.

He added that a total of 309 hostages were rescued during the sustained operations in both states.

According to Hundeyin, the deceased suspects refused to surrender and instead engaged security operatives despite the arrest of some of their accomplices.

“These were people who decided to fight to the end, so 55 of them were neutralised,” he stated.

The police spokesperson said the success of the operations followed months of intelligence gathering and meticulous planning involving multiple security agencies.

He explained that the offensive was executed by a combination of police formations, including the Police Mobile Force, Intelligence Response Team, Special Intervention Squad, and the Air Wing, working alongside the military and other security agencies.

“This was a mix of units working together. There were ground troops mopping up the area in a coordinated manner, with constant communication between the Air Wing and officers on the ground,” Hundeyin said.

He confirmed that no casualties were recorded among security operatives, noting that personnel had been deployed in the area for several months.

Hundeyin described the terrain as difficult and heavily forested, with limited road access, making aerial support critical to the success of the mission.

He assured Nigerians that the operation remains ongoing and would be sustained.

“In the coming days, it may not be as easy because a lot of raking still needs to be done, but we can assure Nigerians that we are working seriously to sustain what we have started. We are taking this battle to every identified enclave of bandits and terrorists. This is just the beginning,” he said.

LEADERSHIP gathered that large-scale, multi-agency operations reportedly commenced over the weekend, with aerial footage showing security forces dismantling criminal hideouts and destroying settlements hidden within forested areas.