By STEPHEN ADELEYE

Troops of 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, under 2 Division, have rescued five kidnapped victims abandoned by fleeing bandits during sustained counter-terrorism operations in Kogi’s forested areas.

The Commanding Officer, 126 Battalion, Lt. Col. Francis Nwoffiah, disclosed this at a news briefing on Wednesday at 12 Brigade Headquarters, Lokoja.

Nwoffiah said the victims were rescued on Tuesday, when troops from Forward Operating Base, Oshokoshoko mounted a blocking mission on the Oshokoshoko–Adankolo route within Adankolo Forest.

He said the ground operation followed air interdiction by helicopter assets, provided by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which engaged several bandit camps in Agbede Forest, particularly Danguntu in Kabba-Bunu LGA.

“Unable to move with all their captives, they abandoned some of them, which allowed the captives to take advantage and escape,” he said.

Nwoffiah further said that the bandit leader, Battijo, who held the captives, was neutralised a few days earlier along with his lieutenant, Issa.

“Another key bandit, Maidawa, was earlier neutralised in the Isanlu-Esa area.

“We have degraded major criminal networks terrorising Kogi.

“There is a new team in place, and the Army message to bandits and other criminals is simple: quit or face your Waterloo,” he said.

Nwoffiah, on behalf of the Commander, 12 Brigade, Brig. -Gen. Kasim Sidi, assured residents that troops would sustain aggressive operations until all criminal camps were dismantled.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five victims rescued included Mr John Luna, Farouq Abdullahi, and Eunice Fedrick.

At 12 Brigade Medical Centre, Lokoja, the victims told newsmen that they were abducted on June 1 at about 2:30 a.m. in a bus travelling from Abuja to Lagos.

They said that 28 of them were held in the bush for 17 days and forced to herd cattle before helicopter strikes forced the bandits to disperse.

“The security agency came where we were.

“The bandits dropped us and left because of pressure from the troops,” Luna said.

Fedrick simply said, “To the glory of God, we survived.”

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Abdulazeez Adeiza, said the ministry had assessed the victims and taken full charge of their medical care.

Adeiza, represented by the state Epidemiologist, Dr Austin Ojotule, also said that the State Government would defray all their health bills.

He commended President Tinubu and Gov. Ahmed Ododo for supporting security operations in the state.

Meanwhile, the State Government has described the rescue as “another breakthrough in the offensive against terrorists”.

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, government explained that the success followed coordinated air and ground missions since operations around Iluke Bunu, which led to more rescues and destruction of criminal camps.

Fanwo commended 12 Brigade, NAF, Police, DSS, NSCDC, vigilantes and hunters for their professionalism.

He also thanked the president, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, service chiefs and heads of security agencies for their intervention. (NAN)