Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
Troops of Sector 9, Operation ENDURING PEACE, have rescued eight kidnapped victims during a military operation in Pandam Forest, Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The Joint Task Force disclosed this in a statement on Friday by its Media Information Officer, Captain Chinonso Oteh, who said the operation was carried out in the early hours of June 24 following credible intelligence on the presence of kidnappers in the forest.
According to him, troops deployed from Namu Town launched a targeted offensive against the criminals and engaged them in a gun battle.
“During the operation, troops engaged in a firefight with the suspected kidnappers, who fired sporadically in an attempt to withdraw. Utilising the ensuing chaos, three of the kidnapped victims managed to escape earlier from the kidnappers’ custody,” Oteh stated.
He explained that troops subsequently combed the forest, leading to the rescue of five additional victims.
“Subsequent exploitation and thorough combing of the forest by the troops led to the rescue of an additional five abducted victims, bringing the total number of rescued individuals to eight.
“The rescued victims are currently in safe condition, and efforts are ongoing to unite them with their respective families,” he said.
Oteh noted that security operatives were still pursuing the fleeing suspects and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to protecting lives and restoring peace in the area.
The military also said the operation had received commendation from residents, who pledged continued support and cooperation with security agencies through the provision of useful information.
“This successful operation has been highly applauded by members of the local communities, who indicated willingness to continue to provide useful information to ensure the arrest of the kidnappers.
“Troops are currently in pursuit of the fleeing kidnappers to apprehend or neutralise them. Operation ENDURING PEACE appreciates the citizens for their cooperation and calls for more support in disrupting criminal elements and restoring the desired peace across the Joint Operations Area,” the statement added.
