Troops Rescue 87 Hostages, Kill Terrorist, Lose Soldier in Niger, Kogi Operations
Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued 87 people in separate security operations in Niger and Kogi states, neutralising a suspected terrorist in one encounter, while a soldier died from injuries sustained during a gun battle in Niger.
The operations involved troops of 18 Brigade under Operation Savannah Shield in Niger State and Sector 1 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) in Kogi State.
In Niger, troops rescued 84 local residents held by terrorists after engaging the attackers in a firefight along the Tegina–Garin Gabas–Zungeru road in Rafi Local Government Area.
Security sources told security reporter Zagazola Makama that the operation followed credible human intelligence indicating that terrorists riding about 300 motorcycles had been sighted around Kwange village.
The troops reportedly established blocking positions but encountered an ambush by the terrorists at Kwanan Barau along the route.
During the ensuing gun battle, the troops rescued the 84 residents who had been held by the terrorists at Kundu village and neutralised one of the attackers.
Items recovered from the scene included a motorcycle, a mobile phone and two locally fabricated Dane guns.
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However, two soldiers sustained gunshot wounds during the encounter and were evacuated to the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna for medical attention. One of the injured soldiers subsequently died while being evacuated.
The troops have continued operations to track the fleeing terrorists and secure affected communities and major routes in the area.
In a separate operation in Kogi State, troops of Sector 1, Operation Whirl Stroke, rescued three kidnapped victims along the Okene bypass in Okene Local Government Area.
According to security sources, the incident occurred at about 12:17 a.m. on Tuesday, October 6, when troops stationed at Forward Operating Base Adogo responded to a report of a kidnapping along the route.
On arrival, the troops reportedly found an abandoned vehicle believed to have been used by the victims before their abduction.
The soldiers subsequently tracked the kidnappers’ escape route, forcing the criminals to abandon the three victims and flee into the surrounding area upon sighting the advancing troops.
One of the rescued victims, who sustained a gunshot wound, was evacuated to a hospital for treatment, while the other two were assisted by the troops to continue their journey.
Security personnel are continuing efforts to track down the fleeing kidnappers and prevent further criminal activities along the Okene bypass.
By PRNigeria
