By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Troops of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, under 2 Division and participating in Operation WABAIZIGAN, have rescued 14 kidnapped victims along the Lagos–Benin Expressway in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to a statement by Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, Assistant Director Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, the rescue followed a swift response to a kidnap incident on 30 July 2026 at about 9:30pm.
Troops on routine patrol acted on credible intelligence and immediately pursued the kidnappers along their withdrawal route. The sustained pressure forced the criminals to abandon 11 victims and flee into the surrounding forest.
In a follow-up clearance operation conducted on 31 July 2026, troops combed the forest and rescued the remaining three victims, bringing the total to 14.
After preliminary debriefing and medical assessment, all victims were confirmed to be in stable condition. They have since been reunited with their families or allowed to continue their journeys. Efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing kidnappers.
The Commander, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their professionalism, resilience and courage. He reassured residents of Edo State and commuters within the Brigade’s Area of Operations of the Army’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
He added that troops will sustain aggressive operations to deny criminal elements safe havens and ensure a secure environment for law-abiding citizens.
The Army urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to sustain operational successes.
