Military rescues six kidnap victims, kills one bandit in Kaduna

By Hannah Nathan, Warri

The Nigerian Army’s 1 Division, said its soldiers in Kaduna State have neutralized one bandit and freed six abducted victims.

Lt.-Col. Musa Yahaya, the temporary deputy director of the Army Public Relations, 1 Division Nigerian Army, reported that the casualties were saved on Friday.

In a statement, Yahaya claimed that the division’s troops’ continuous clearance operation had continued to produce fruitful outcomes.

According to him, “the troop acted on credible and timely intelligence on the kidnapping of six persons at Hayin Tsando general area of Maraban Jos, in the Igabi Local Government Area of the state.

“The brave soldiers mobilized right away and started a search and rescue effort. When the troops came into contact with the bandits and criminals, a fierce shootout broke out.

“During the operation, troops successfully freed six abducted victims, found and destroyed two AK-47 firearms, and took out one bandit, while others managed to flee with various degrees of bullet wounds.

Maj-Gen Valentine Okoro, who is also the Force Commander for Operation Whirl Punch and the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, praised the soldiers for their fortitude.

They were further admonished by Yahaya to maintain their relentless pace until all criminal elements in the division’s “Area of Responsibility” have been fully eliminated.

Additionally, he urged all paramedics to keep an eye out for patients with gunshot wounds and report them to the Nigerian Army and other affiliated security agencies so that prompt action could be taken.