Troops launch counter-kidnapping operation after bandits attacked travellers along the Ayegunle–Bunu Road in Kabba-Bunu LGA.
The Nigerian Army has rescued 23 passengers abducted by suspected bandits along the Ayegunle–Bunu Road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State. According to a statement issued on Monday, troops launched a counter-kidnapping operation after receiving a distress call at about 3:30 a.m.
The attackers reportedly blocked the highway and abducted several travellers before security operatives arrived. Although the kidnappers fled before troops reached the scene, soldiers immediately began pursuing them along suspected escape routes. During an assessment of the area, security personnel recovered two Toyota commercial buses and a HOWO truck abandoned by the roadside.
The Army disclosed that two victims lost their lives during the attack, while five others sustained injuries and were evacuated to St. Joseph Hospital in Kabba for medical treatment. It added that sustained pressure from pursuing troops forced the kidnappers to abandon 23 captives, who were successfully rescued unharmed.
The military further assured residents that troops have maintained a strong presence in the area and are conducting intensive search-and-rescue operations to locate and safely recover any remaining victims still in captivity.