By Ayomide Otitoju
Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, operating under 2 Division as part of Operation Wabaizigan, have rescued 14 persons abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Lagos–Benin Expressway in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to a statement issued by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade, Lt. Raphael Kennedy Anyanwu, the rescue operation followed a kidnap incident that occurred at about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2026.
The statement said troops on routine patrol received credible intelligence about the attack and immediately launched a pursuit of the kidnappers along their escape route. The sustained operation forced the suspects to abandon 11 of the victims before fleeing into a nearby forest.
It added that troops conducted a follow-up clearance operation on Friday, July 31, combing the forest and successfully rescuing the remaining three victims, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 14.
The Army said all the rescued victims underwent preliminary medical assessment and debriefing and were confirmed to be in stable condition before being reunited with their families or allowed to continue their journeys.
Military authorities disclosed that efforts are ongoing to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects, describing the operation as a demonstration of the Army’s operational readiness and intelligence-driven approach to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes in collaboration with other security agencies.
The Army also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to strengthen ongoing efforts to improve security across Edo State.
Meanwhile, the Commander of the 4 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their professionalism, resilience and courage during the operation. He reassured residents of Edo State and commuters within the Brigade’s area of responsibility of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
