The Nigeria Police Force has reported a significant breakthrough in its fight against kidnapping and banditry, with the rescue of 12 kidnap victims and the recovery of various firearms across different states. According to CSP Ani Iniedu, the Force Public Relations Officer, the operations were conducted between September 29 and October 2, 2026. The police successfully rescued the victims and arrested several suspects, dealing a blow to kidnappers and bandits.
In Taraba State, police operatives rescued three of five persons abducted in the state following sustained pressure on the kidnappers. The victims were rescued safely and handed over to their families. This success was replicated in Ogun State, where nine travellers abducted by kidnappers were rescued during a joint security operation. The victims were found unharmed and later reunited with their relatives after debriefing.
The police also foiled an attack by armed bandits on Tsabre Village in Sokoto State on October 2. Security personnel, including police tactical teams, Anti-Kidnapping Unit personnel, and members of the VCRU, intervened, forcing the attackers to withdraw into the forest. A search of the surrounding bush yielded two rocket launchers and two empty AK-47 magazines, among other items.
In Katsina State, police repelled bandits who attacked motorists along the Funtua-Zaria Road on October 1. The intervention allowed traffic to resume normally on the highway. Similarly, in Benue State, personnel attached to Operation Zenda responded to an ambush along the Amaafu-Abaji Road, killing one suspected bandit and recovering a locally manufactured firearm.
The police also made significant arrests and recoveries in other states. In Oyo State, three men suspected of armed robbery were arrested after police raided a hideout in the Sabo area of Ibadan. An iPhone 7 Plus, said to have belonged to a robbery victim who died in the incident, was recovered. In Akwa Ibom State, three suspects were arrested at a suspected criminal hideout, with substances suspected to be cannabis and other illicit drugs seized.
Further operations in Ogun State led to the arrest of three suspected cult members, with substances suspected to be cannabis, an axe, laptops, soap, and drug pipes recovered from them. In Cross River State, detectives investigating a reported threat to life arrested a suspect and recovered a locally fabricated single-barrel gun and two live cartridges. The state’s police command also intervened in a case of alleged unlawful detention, freeing two victims.
The police operations also yielded results in Ebonyi, Enugu, and Ekiti states, with various suspects arrested and items recovered. The Force said investigations into the reported incidents are ongoing at the various State Criminal Investigation Departments. The nationwide operations demonstrate the police's commitment to tackling insecurity and protecting citizens.
Key points
- 12 kidnap victims rescued across Nigeria
- Various firearms recovered, including rocket launchers and AK-47 magazines
- Several suspects arrested in multiple states
