The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has said troops of the Armed Forces rescued more than 60 kidnapped victims and arrested 44 suspects during operations across the country between September 18 and 24, 2026.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Saturday while briefing defence correspondents on the military’s operations against terrorism, kidnapping, arms trafficking and other security threats.
Onoja said a Nigerian Air Force jet disrupted the movement of terrorists transporting a large number of kidnapped victims around Bazama in Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State, forcing them to abandon their captives.
He said more than 60 victims escaped following the operation, while ground troops rescued other kidnapped victims in Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara States.
Among those rescued were 17 victims along the Isa-Kwanar Isa axis in Sokoto and seven university students abducted along the Daye-Malumfashi road in Katsina.
“Troops also rescued five victims, including the Executive Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara, from terrorist captivity at Sekpore village in Kaura Namoda,” Onoja said.
In Borno State, troops intercepted 44 members of terrorist families at Konduga in Bama Local Government Area. The group comprised 13 women and 31 children who had escaped from terrorist camps amid clashes between rival factions.
Onoja added that more than 20 terrorist fighters and family members surrendered to troops in Gwoza, Dikwa and Ngala local government areas of Borno, citing hardship and lack of basic necessities in terrorist enclaves on the Mandara Mountains.
Troops also arrested suspected terrorist informants, collaborators, logistics suppliers and kidnappers in different parts of the country.
In Yobe, troops arrested a suspected terrorist collaborator and a spy at Geidam market, while a suspected kidnapper was arrested in Gubio, Borno. The suspect later led troops to Ardimini village, where an AK-47 rifle and a magazine containing 12 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
In Sokoto, four suspected members of a terrorist group were arrested while allegedly conveying rustled cattle near Illela, while three suspects were arrested in Faskari, Katsina, for allegedly conveying N2.7 million intended for a suspected terrorist kingpin.
In the North-Central, troops under Operation Whirl Stroke arrested suspects allegedly involved in kidnapping and arms trafficking across Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Taraba States.
Two suspected kidnappers were arrested along the Otukpo-Makurdi road in Benue, where troops recovered a rifle and ammunition. A suspected gunrunner was also arrested in Kwande.
In Bauchi, troops and Forest Guards killed three suspected kidnappers during an ambush at Kudu Yamma in Ningi Local Government Area and rescued six kidnap victims. A rifle and ammunition were recovered from the operation.
In Plateau State, troops of Operation Enduring Peace arrested 11 suspects during raids on suspected kidnapping syndicate hideouts in Shere, Gwafan and Maza Hills. Four of the suspects were identified by victims as allegedly being members of the syndicate responsible for their abduction.
In the South-East, troops of Operation Udo Ka engaged suspected secessionist terrorists at Obibi Forest in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State. The suspects fled, abandoning a general-purpose machine gun, a rifle, ammunition and a motorcycle.
Troops also arrested a suspected informant and rescued a woman allegedly kidnapped about two months earlier from her hairdressing salon in Orsu.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, commended the troops for their efforts and urged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies.
Troops rescue over 60 abductees, arrest 44 suspects nationwide