Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, operating under Operation Wabaizigan, have rescued 14 kidnap victims 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 of Army Public Relations, Captain Kennedy Anyanwu, the rescue operation was launched after troops on routine patrol received credible intelligence about the abduction, which occurred around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2026.
The soldiers immediately pursued the kidnappers along their escape route, forcing the suspects to abandon 11 victims before fleeing into a nearby forest.
A follow-up clearance operation carried out the next day led to the rescue of the remaining three victims, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 14.
Military authorities said all the victims received medical attention and underwent debriefing before being confirmed stable and reunited with their families or allowed to continue their journeys.
The Army said efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing kidnappers, describing the operation as another example of its intelligence-driven strategy against kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The military also appealed to members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to enhance security operations.
Commending the troops, the Commander of the 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, praised their professionalism, courage and resilience during the operation.
He assured residents of Edo State and road users that the Nigerian Army remains committed to protecting lives and property while sustaining operations to deny criminal elements safe havens.
Source: Nigerian Army
