In a series of successful operations against kidnapping and violent crimes, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued thirty-one (31) kidnapped victims in Edo and Taraba States, reinforcing the Force’s ongoing commitment to national security.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the first rescue operation occurred in Edo State on Friday, July 11, 2025, when armed kidnappers ambushed commuters along the Fugar-Agenebode road in Etsako East Local Government Area, tragically killing two victims and abducting several others.
“Swift intervention by our operatives in collaboration with local security outfits led to a coordinated and courageous operation at Obe Hill, near the Ajaokuta axis,” Adejobi said.
“The armed hoodlums were engaged in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to flee with varying degrees of gunshot injuries, while 14 kidnapped victims were successfully rescued.” He added.
In a related development in Taraba State, another group of 17 kidnapped victims were freed in the early hours of Saturday, July 12, 2025.
“Our operatives responded promptly to a distress call regarding an ambush of a white Toyota bus conveying passengers from Enugu to Yola along the Wukari highway.
The suspects, on sighting advancing police teams, fled into the bush, abandoning all the hostages unharmed,” Adejobi narrated.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, lauded the gallantry and professionalism of the operatives involved in both operations.
“These feats are clear evidence of the Nigeria Police Force’s reinvigorated strategies in confronting the menace of banditry and kidnapping,” the IGP stated.
“We are not relenting. Targeted operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks across the country will continue with renewed vigour and focus.”
ACP Adejobi reaffirmed the IGP’s call for continued public support and cooperation in the fight against crime, noting that intelligence-sharing remains a crucial part of the police’s success.
