Security forces rescue 16 kidnapped victims in Kogi gun battle

Security forces in Kogi State have rescued 16 kidnapped victims, including four children, following a gun battle with suspected bandits in the Dekina Local Government Area. The successful operation, which resulted in the death of one security operative and injuries to another, concluded a search-and-rescue effort launched after the victims were abducted the previous day.

The victims, comprising six men, six women, and four children, were taken on Sunday, August 9, 2026. They were traveling along the Ojuwo-Ajengo-Mamerebo and Ojiwo-Itobe roads in the Ofu Local Government Area when their vehicles were intercepted by gunmen. According to an operational report, security forces received intelligence on Monday, August 10, that the captives had been sighted around the Adumu community in Dekina.

In response, a joint team comprising troops from the 21 Battalion, personnel from the Nigerian Navy Ship NNS Lugard, police officers, local vigilantes, and Hybrid Forces launched a coordinated operation. The security personnel located the suspected kidnappers and engaged them in a confrontation. The pressure from the security forces compelled the abductors to abandon their captives and flee into...