Odita Sunday 
Troops rescue mother, infant from kidnappers in Kogi, intensify hunt for abductors
By Odita Sunday
Troops of 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, under the 2 Division, have rescued two kidnap victims, including a six-month-old baby, following a swift response to a kidnapping incident in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to Abdullahi, the incident occurred in the late hours of June 3, 2026, when suspected terrorists invaded a residence near Solid Rock School in the Ijalu area of Egbe and abducted five members of a family.
He said the victims included a woman, her infant child and three other family members.
The Army spokesperson explained that troops immediately mobilised after receiving a distress call and, in collaboration with members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), launched a pursuit operation along the kidnappers’ suspected escape route.
He noted that the sustained pressure mounted by the combined security team forced the abductors to abandon one of the victims, Mrs Adekemi Idowu, and her six-month-old child near the Oro axis before fleeing into the surrounding area.
”The rescued victims were safely returned to their residence, while troops have continued aggressive search operations aimed at rescuing the remaining victims and apprehending the perpetrators,” Abdullahi stated.
He added that security forces have intensified efforts to track down the fleeing criminals and secure the release of the remaining abductees.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property and urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to aid ongoing operations.
Abdullahi assured residents that troops would sustain pressure on criminal elements operating within the state and its environs until lasting peace and security are restored.
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