Troops of the 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, deployed at the forward operating base in Oguma, on Sunday, rescued two victims abandoned by suspected kidnappers in Kogi.

Spokesperson for the 12 Brigade, Hassan Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

“In a sustained effort to rid Kogi State of criminal activities, troops of 12 Brigade Nigerian Army deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Oguma have successfully rescued two kidnapped victims and recovered the ransom money meant for their release.

“The operation which led to the rescue of the victims took place on 2 November 2025, following credible intelligence on kidnapping activities along the Itobe–Adumu–Ejule axis, as well as reports of relatives of some of the victims attempting to deliver ransom to secure their release. Troops acted swiftly on the information and projected a patrol to Achigili Forest to intercept the bandits.

“However, while en route to the location, the troops came under fire from the criminals. In the ensuing exchange, the gallant soldiers engaged the bandits with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon two victims along with the ransom money. The criminals subsequently fled into the forest with various degrees of gunshot wounds,” said the army.

Mr Abdullahi stated that the troops recovered ₦3.8 million ransom abandoned by the fleeing kidnappers.

“The rescued victims were immediately debriefed to aid further operations, while the recovered cash was handed back to them. They are currently in safe custody at the troops’ location pending handover to the appropriate authorities,” said the army.

The brigade spokesman urged civilians to continue supporting the military and other security agencies by providing timely and credible information that will aid in the fight against criminal elements.