Troops of the sophisticated elite 7 Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army have smashed a hideout of suspected kidnappers located in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory and successfully rescued 19 abducted victims.
The troops in collaboration with personnel of the Nigeria police and local vigilantes, during rescue operation that later witnessed a gun battle, killed one of the terrorists.
Following intelligence reports on the location of the den of the terrorists, the troops moved decisively and invaded the criminal enclave situated around Gidan Dogo where victims of a recent abduction of some residents of Byazhin axis of Bwari were being detained.
A statement on Saturday by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Guards Brigade, Lieutenant Olawuyi Odunola Itunuoluwa said the troops moved swiftly into the area in a coordinated search-and-rescue mission aimed at dismantling the kidnappers’ camp and securing the release of their captives.
Itunuoluwa explained that upon arrival, the soldiers reportedly encountered armed terrorists which triggered a gunfight that forced the criminals into retreat, adding however, that one of the terrorists was neutralised during the exchange of fire, while others escaped into nearby bush paths with suspected gunshot wounds.
The spokesperson of the Guards Brigade further said that the troops later combed the surrounding area which led to the discovery of weapons and the safe recovery of the kidnapped victims.
Itunuoluwa said that items recovered during the operation included one AK-47 rifle and a locally fabricated firearm believed to have been used by the fleeing criminals.
He said that all 19 victims were freed from captivity and evacuated to safety after the operation, adding that they are currently receiving medical attention and care following their ordeal.
Itunuoluwa also said that the troops have since returned to their Forward Operating Base in Bwari after completing the mission, saying that security patrols have however been intensified across the general area to prevent the regrouping of the fleeing bandits and to deter further criminal activity around the Federal Capital Territory.
While commenting on the development, the Commander of the Guards Brigade, Brigadier General Adebisi Olusegun Onasanya, praised the troops and other security operatives involved in the mission for their exceptional courage and professionalism.
Onasanya said the successful operation underscores the determination of the Guards Brigade and other security agencies to confront kidnapping and terrorism head-on within the Federal Capital Territory.
He assured that the Guards Brigade remains fully committed to protecting residents and ensuring the security of Abuja as the seat of Nigeria’s government, assuring that the Brigade will continue to work closely with other security agencies and community stakeholders to flush out criminal elements operating within the FCT and its surrounding communities.
Onasanya noted that the latest operation highlights the growing collaboration between the military, police and community-based vigilante groups in tackling kidnapping networks that have increasingly targeted suburbs around the nation’s capital.
The commander said that sustained intelligence gathering and aggressive patrol operations will continue as part of broader efforts to dismantle criminal cells threatening the safety of residents in and around Abuja.
