1.8.2026
Nigeria Army troops of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Under 83 Division, have rescued 14 kidnapped victims from captivity in Edo State.
The victims were kidnapped on July 30, 2026, by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers along the Lagos–Benin Expressway in Ovia North East Local Government Area of the state.
A statement by the 4 Brigade spokesperson, Kennedy Anyanwu, said the victims were rescued on July 30 and 31, 2026, after troops on routine patrol received credible intelligence about the kidnapping of the victims.
According to him, the troops, acting on the report, immediately pursued the kidnappers along their withdrawal route, applying sustained pressure which forced the criminals to abandon 11 of the victims and flee into the surrounding forest.
He said on July 31, 2026, the troops embarked on bush combing in search of the victims and, in the process, rescued the remaining three victims, bringing the total number of rescued victims to 14.
He said the rescued victims were in stable condition and had been reunited with their families.
He said efforts were ongoing to track down and apprehend the fleeing kidnappers.
Anyanwu encouraged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, saying such support remained vital to sustaining operational successes and enhancing security across the state.
He, however, assured the people of Edo State and commuters within the Brigade’s Area of its unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property.