🇳🇬 Operation: Troops of 12 Brigade rescue five kidnap victims as terrorists flee sustained military pressure in Kogi State

Troops of 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army under 2 Division, have rescued five kidnapped victims in Kogi State after sustained offensive operations forced terrorist elements to abandon their captives and flee forested enclaves under increasing military pressure.

Desk: Defence & Security
Date: 17 June 2026
Time: 11:00 WAT
Location: Kogi State, Nigeria

The development follows coordinated ground and air interdiction operations targeting identified terrorist hideouts within the state’s forest corridors, as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks and deny armed groups freedom of action across the Brigade’s Area of Responsibility.

According to a statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade, Lieutenant Hassan Abdullahi, the rescue was achieved through a blocking operation launched after an air interdiction mission disrupted a known terrorist hideout in the area.

Forest blocking operation triggers rescue breakthrough

Acting on operational directives, troops deployed from Forward Operating Base Oshokoshoko conducted a blocking mission along the Oshokoshoko–Adankolo route within Adankolo Forest, following intensified pressure on terrorist positions.

During the operation, troops intercepted five kidnapped victims who had been abandoned by fleeing terrorists unable to withstand the sustained offensive against their camps.

Preliminary assessments indicate the victims regained freedom after terrorists dispersed under heavy military pressure generated by ongoing kinetic operations in the forested axis.

The victims were immediately secured and evacuated to a safe location for medical assessment and stabilization.

Medical evacuation and intelligence exploitation

The rescued victims were subsequently moved to a military medical facility where they received treatment and were debriefed to obtain actionable intelligence to support ongoing operations targeting remaining terrorist elements in the area.

Efforts are ongoing to reunite the victims with their families following completion of medical and administrative procedures.

Strategic operational implication

The operation reflects the sustained effectiveness of coordinated ground and air offensives in disrupting terrorist sanctuaries within Kogi State, forcing adversaries into fragmentation and loss of control over previously held forest corridors.

It also reinforces the Nigerian Army’s evolving posture of persistent pressure operations aimed at systematically dismantling terrorist infrastructure rather than isolated contact-based engagements.

The Commander, 12 Brigade, Brigadier General Kasim Umar Sidi, commended troops for their vigilance and professionalism, reaffirming continued offensive operations until all criminal enclaves within the area are neutralised.

He further urged continued public cooperation through timely intelligence sharing to support ongoing clearance operations across affected communities.

🏷️ Tags: 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Kogi Security Operations, Counter Terrorism, Rescue Operation, Forest Clearance, 2 Division Nigerian Army, Internal Security Operations

 #Nigeria #NigerianArmy #KogiState #SecurityOperations #CounterTerrorism #RescueMission #ZigDiaries