Troops of the 1 Division Nigerian Army have successfully rescued nine kidnapped victims and recovered weapons in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The rescue operation took place on December 8th, 2023.
Acting Deputy Director Public Relations for the 1 Division, Lt-Col Musa Yahaya, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday.
He explained that troops deployed to Birnin Yero were on patrol near Kanzaure when they received reports of the kidnap of 11 civilians in Anguwan Maharba and Dandami villages.
The troops, along with the Civilian Joint Task Force, swiftly mobilised and laid an ambush at the bandits’ expected crossing point. After a firefight, the bandits were forced to withdraw, leaving behind several injured members.
As a result of the operation, nine kidnapped victims were rescued, while two others were tragically killed by the bandits before the troops’ arrival.
Additionally, the troops recovered one AK47 rifle, one magazine, and one locally made gun.
Maj.-Gen. Valentine Okoro, the General Officer Commanding the 1 Division and Force Commander of Operation WHIRL PUNCH, commended the troops for their bravery and resilience.
He urged them to continue their efforts to ensure peace and security for the citizens within their area of responsibility.
Okoro also appealed to the public to provide credible intelligence to the troops and other security agencies to help them tackle the security challenges in the area.
NAN
