Troops of the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have disrupted an ambush by armed bandits in Kogi State and rescued a kidnapped victim during a coordinated operation along the Oshokoshoko and Obajana axis in Lokoja Local Government Area.
The Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the brigade, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, said the operation was carried out in the early hours of Tuesday after security personnel received credible intelligence on the movement of armed bandits crossing the corridor with abducted persons.
He explained that troops from the Kabba Patrol Base, working with hybrid forces, immediately staged a special ambush to intercept the group.
According to him, the armed bandits opened fire as soon as they sighted the troops, but the soldiers responded firmly and overpowered them.
He stated that, “The bandits opened fire but were met with superior firepower from the troops, forcing them to withdraw in disorder.”
During the encounter, one bandit was killed while others escaped with gunshot wounds. The soldiers also recovered an AK-47 rifle from the scene.
Lieutenant Abdullahi noted that the troops found one kidnapped victim who had been dragged along by the fleeing gunmen.
The victim, already weak and distressed, was immediately evacuated to a medical facility for proper treatment.
He added that fresh pursuit operations have begun to track down the remaining members of the criminal group.
In his words, “Further exploitation and pursuit operations are ongoing to track fleeing members of the criminal group.”
The Nigerian Army urged residents to continue cooperating with security agencies by providing timely information that will support swift response and strengthen efforts to keep communities across Kogi State safe.
