Troops carrying out a special operation coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) have rescued 308 kidnap victims who spent about six months in captivity after being abducted from communities in Kwara and Niger states.
An operational report obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday said the victims were freed during a clearance operation in the Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP), a notorious hideout for armed criminal groups.
According to the report, the victims were among residents kidnapped during coordinated attacks on Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State and neighbouring communities in Niger State on the nights of February 3 and 4.
The report disclosed that all 308 rescued victims are currently undergoing security screening and receiving medical treatment at the Wawa Cantonment in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
It said the rescued group comprises 163 victims from Kwara State and 145 from Niger State.
Military authorities have also commenced humanitarian support for the victims, with the Commander of the 22 Brigade overseeing feeding, medical care, temporary shelter and other welfare arrangements pending their return home.
The report further revealed that buses had already been positioned at the Sobi Cantonment in Ilorin to evacuate victims from Kwara State, while the governments of Kwara and Niger states are coordinating the transportation of all rescued victims back to their respective communities.
The successful rescue marks one of the largest operations against kidnappers in the Kainji Lake National Park, an area that has witnessed increased security operations in recent months as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle criminal camps and restore security across the region.
source: NAN
