Troops of the 12 Brigade Nigerian Army have rescued nine kidnapped victims and intercepted a suspected terrorist ammunition courier during separate operations carried out in Kogi State.
The operations, conducted on May 6 under Operation Tiger Paw II, targeted criminal activities in Lokoja Local Government Area and surrounding forest communities.
Army spokesperson, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, said the rescued victims included five boys, two girls, and two adult women believed to be the wives of the proprietor of the Daarul-Kitab Islamic Orphanage recently attacked by kidnappers.
According to him, troops acting on credible intelligence intensified search-and-rescue operations and successfully recovered the victims within the Agbaja Forest area.
The victims were immediately evacuated to the 12 Brigade Medical Centre for medical attention and are reported to be in stable condition.
In a separate operation on the same day, troops intercepted a suspected arms courier along the Obajana–Lokoja road.
The suspect, identified as Yahaya Umar, was allegedly caught transporting 500 rounds of 7.62mm NATO belted ammunition concealed inside a bag of maize.
Preliminary investigations reportedly revealed that the suspect was involved in supplying arms and ammunition to terrorist groups operating across parts of the North Central region.
Military authorities said the ammunition was allegedly handed over to the suspect at Obajana Forest and was being transported to Dikko Junction in Suleja, Niger State, for delivery to another suspected terrorist operative.
The suspect remains in military custody and is undergoing further interrogation as security agencies continue efforts to dismantle the criminal network and arrest other accomplices.
The Nigerian Army said the successful operations demonstrate its continued commitment to combating terrorism, kidnapping, and other criminal activities threatening national security.
Residents were also urged to support security agencies with timely and credible information to aid ongoing operations.
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