Nigerian Army troops have foiled an attempted kidnapping on a highway in Kogi State and rescued 11 passengers, the military said on Monday.
The incident occurred on Sunday along the Kabba-Ayere road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, according to a statement from the 12 Composite Brigade of the army’s 5 Division.
Troops on routine patrol out of a base in Kabba responded to information that armed men, described by the army as terrorists, were trying to abduct passengers travelling in a commercial vehicle, the statement said.
The soldiers engaged the attackers on arrival, forcing them to abandon their captives and flee into the surrounding bush, it said.
Nine passengers, including the vehicle’s driver, were rescued at the scene. The driver and two other passengers were injured and taken for medical treatment. The vehicle was handed over to the relevant authorities.
On Monday, troops combed the area and found two more passengers who had fled into the bush during the encounter, bringing the total number rescued to 11, the statement said.
The army did not say how many attackers were involved, whether any were killed or captured, or which group was responsible. It also did not give the condition of the injured passengers.
Kidnapping for ransom is a persistent security problem in parts of Nigeria’s north-central region, where travellers on major and rural roads are frequently targeted.
The brigade urged the public to keep providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing operations.
“The Nigerian Army remains committed to sustaining efforts to safeguard lives and property,” said Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, acting assistant director of army public relations for 12 Composite Brigade, in the statement.
