Troops rescue 14 kidnap victims in Kogi
Nigerian Army troops rescued 14 kidnap victims in separate operations in Kogi State, while sustaining pressure on criminal elements across the country.
Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued 14 kidnapped victims in separate operations in Kogi, while sustaining pressure on criminal elements across the country. The Nigerian Army disclosed this in its latest operational update covering Aug. 15 and Aug. 16, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday.
In Kogi, the troops of 21 Battalion rescued 13 victims abducted along the Alloma-Ejule Road in Ofu Local Government Area. The troops had launched a search-and-rescue operation after the victims were abducted on Aug. 11. The operation covered the Emeweopada-Abocho axis in Dekina Local Government Area, where sustained military pressure forced the kidnappers to flee. “The victims were subsequently released and taken to the palace of the Onu Abocho for further action.”
In another incident in Ofu, troops responding to a suspected kidnapping attack along the Ochadamu-Okabo Road rescued a pregnant woman abandoned by kidnappers. The troops had discovered that four civilians, including the pregnant woman, were abducted by the criminals. The kidnappers abandoned the woman and fled after sighting the advancing troops from a distance.
In Plateau, troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE responded to a report of the kidnapping of two civilians at Nhantina Village in Bokkos Local Government Area. The troops discovered one of the victims with gunshot wounds allegedly inflicted by the kidnappers. The injured victim was evacuated to Bokkos Cottage Hospital for medical attention.
The rescues are a positive development, but the fact that 14 people were kidnapped in the first place is a reminder of the scale of the insecurity facing the country. The military’s sustained pressure on criminal elements is yielding results, but the underlying drivers of kidnapping remain unresolved.
This echoes the 2022 rescue operations in Kogi, which also saw troops free kidnapped victims. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a military campaign that disrupts but does not eliminate kidnapping.
The winners: the 14 rescued victims, who have regained their freedom; and the Nigerian military, which has demonstrated its effectiveness. The losers: the kidnappers, who lost their captives; and the Nigerian government, which must address the root causes of kidnapping.
Bottom Line: Troops have rescued 14 kidnap victims in Kogi. The military is making progress. The question is whether the government can address the root causes of insecurity.