Soldiers rescue eight kidnap victims from Plateau forest after gun battle with abductors

• Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE freed eight abducted persons during a military operation in Pandam Forest, Qua’an Pan LGA of Plateau State.

• Soldiers exchanged fire with the suspected kidnappers, allowing three victims to escape before rescuing five more during a follow-up search.

• The military said rescued victims are safe and efforts are ongoing to reunite them with their families while troops pursue the fleeing kidnappers.

Troops of Sector 9 under Operation ENDURING PEACE have rescued eight kidnapped victims during a military operation in Pandam Forest, located in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The rescue mission, carried out in the early hours of Wednesday, June 24, followed credible intelligence that kidnappers were operating from the forest, according to the military.

The development was confirmed on Friday in a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Operation ENDURING PEACE, Captain Chinonso Oteh.

Oteh said troops stationed in Namu Town launched what he described as a deliberate offensive operation around 3:00 a.m., leading to the successful rescue of the victims.

According to him, the operation reflects the military's ongoing efforts to improve security and protect residents across the Joint Operations Area.

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He explained that the troops came under fire after making contact with the suspected kidnappers.

“During the operation, troops engaged in a firefight with the suspected kidnappers, who fired sporadically in an attempt to withdraw. Utilising the ensuing chaos, three of the kidnapped victims managed to escape earlier from the kidnappers’ custody,” he stated.

The military officer added that after the initial exchange of gunfire, soldiers continued combing the forest, eventually locating and rescuing five more victims.

“Subsequent exploitation and thorough combing of the forest by the troops led to the rescue of an additional five abducted victims, bringing the total number of rescued individuals to eight.

“The rescued victims are currently in safe condition, and efforts are ongoing to unite them with their respective families,” he said.

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Captain Oteh said members of the affected communities have praised the operation and expressed readiness to continue supporting security agencies with useful intelligence.

“This successful operation has been highly applauded by members of the local communities, who indicated willingness to continue to provide useful information to ensure the arrest of the kidnappers.

“Troops are currently in pursuit of the fleeing kidnappers to apprehend or neutralise them. Operation ENDURING PEACE appreciates the citizens for their cooperation and calls for more support in disrupting criminal elements and restoring the desired peace across the Joint Operations Area.”

Kidnapping for ransom has remained one of the major security challenges in parts of Plateau and neighbouring states, with security forces continuing operations to dismantle criminal camps and rescue victims held in remote forests.