3 hours ago
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Troops of the 7 Guards Battalion, Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and local vigilantes, have rescued 19 kidnapped victims during a coordinated operation in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
This was made known in a post on X by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security expert in the Lake Chad region.
Makama said the operation was conducted around Gidan Dogo following credible intelligence on the location of suspects linked to the recent abduction of residents in the Byazhin area of Bwari.
During the operation, troops reportedly made contact with the suspected kidnappers, leading to a gun battle.
One of the suspects was neutralised during the exchange of fire, while others fled the scene with suspected gunshot wounds.
The source said further exploitation of the area led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle and a locally fabricated firearm.
All 19 kidnapped victims were rescued during the operation and evacuated to safety.
The rescued victims are currently receiving medical attention, while troops have returned to their Forward Operating Base in Bwari.
The Commander, Guards Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Adebisi Olusegun Onasanya, commended the troops and other collaborating security agencies for their bravery and professionalism during the operation.
Onasanya reiterated that the Guards Brigade remained committed to safeguarding residents of the Federal Capital Territory and protecting Abuja as the nation’s seat of power.
He said the brigade would continue to intensify operations in collaboration with other security agencies to rid the territory and its environs of kidnapping, terrorism and other criminal activities.
