Troops of 18 Brigade also recover 33 motorcycles, ammunition and ₦4.1 million during operations against suspected terrorists in Niger and Kebbi States.
Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued 16 abducted persons and recovered weapons, ammunition, motorcycles and cash during operations against suspected terrorists in Niger State.
The operation, conducted on November 5, 2026, followed an ambush along suspected terrorist routes in Kontagora Local Government Area. The Army said troops of 18 Brigade acted on intelligence about the movement of armed men from Mashegu towards Rijiyan Nagwamatse, where they engaged the attackers and neutralised an unconfirmed number of them.
Items recovered included two AK-47 rifles, three rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) bombs, seven rifle magazines, assorted ammunition, 33 motorcycles and ₦4.1 million in cash.
In a statement on Thursday, the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 18 Brigade, Captain Adebayo Adewumi, said the rescued victims received first aid before being handed over to the appropriate authorities for reunification with their families.
The Army also disclosed that troops intercepted another group of suspected terrorists on November 3, moving from Makuku Village in Kebbi State towards Tungan Kawo in Niger State. The attackers reportedly retreated into the forest after a gun battle, while troops recovered five motorcycles, a mobile phone and ₦644,300.
The operations come amid renewed security concerns in Niger State following the abduction of 14 students and a teacher from an Islamiyya school in Tungan-Bako, Rafi LGA, on October 31. The development has also prompted calls from the state House of Assembly for additional military bases in vulnerable communities.