Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, operating under 2 Division as part of Operation Wabaizigan, have rescued 14 persons abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Lagos–Benin Expressway in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to the statement signed by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Kennedy Anyanwu, the rescue operation followed a kidnap incident that occurred at about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2026.
Troops on routine patrol reportedly received credible intelligence on the attack and immediately pursued the abductors along their escape route, he said. The sustained pursuit forced the kidnappers to abandon 11 of the victims before fleeing into a nearby forest.
In a follow-up clearance operation conducted on Friday, July 31, troops combed the forest and rescued the remaining three victims, bringing the total number of rescued persons to 14.
Military authorities said all the victims underwent preliminary medical assessment and debriefing and were confirmed to be in stable condition before being reunited with their families or allowed to continue their journeys.
The Army said that efforts are ongoing to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects. It described the operation as a demonstration of the military’s operational readiness and intelligence-driven approach to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in collaboration with other security agencies.
It urged the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts to improve security across Edo State.
Meanwhile, the Commander of 4 Brigade, Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their professionalism, resilience and courage during the operation. He reassured residents of Edo State and commuters within the Brigade’s area of responsibility of the Army’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
Balogun noted that troops would continue sustained operations to deny criminal elements safe havens.
