The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Maj. Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife, has rescued two kidnap victims near Babasango Forest in Omu-Aran Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The victims were handed over to the traditional ruler of the area, Oba Pius Oluwole, Oni Dofin of Idofin, Odoeshe Ayekale.
Nnebeife, who also serves as Commander, Sector 3, Operation Fansan Yamma, was on a patrol in Babanla when the rescue took place.
The visit followed a recent bandit attack on traders at Olegbede village, about 12 kilometres from Idofin Ayekale, where three people were reportedly killed.
In a statement on Saturday, the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Division, Lt.-Col. Polycarp Okoye, said the monarch attributed the attack to the community’s proximity to Babasango Forest.
Maj.-Gen. Nnebeife commiserated with the royal father and assured him that the Nigerian Army would sustain operations to flush out bandits and other criminal elements from the area.
In a related development, troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued two kidnap victims and recovered N5 million ransom money after engaging insurgents at Goni Dunari in Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State on October 10, 2025.
Spokesman for Operation Hadin Kai, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, said the troops killed nine terrorists, five in Magumeri and four in Gajiram, during coordinated operations.
“In continuation of ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the North-East, troops of 109 Special Forces Battalion, Operation Hadin Kai, conducted a successful fighting patrol in response to credible intelligence on the movement of Boko Haram terrorists around Goni Dunari in Magumeri,” Uba said.
He explained that the terrorists, who were moving in two vehicles with 24 foot soldiers, had been setting houses ablaze and terrorising residents when troops launched a rapid interception.
“As the troops advanced, the terrorists attempted to flee toward Damjiyakiri village. After about four hours of pursuit over 92 kilometres, contact was made and a fierce exchange of fire ensued, resulting in the neutralisation of five terrorists while the rest dispersed in disarray,” he added.
Items recovered included one AK-47 rifle, five magazines (three empty, two loaded), 31 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, a mobile phone, and a dagger.
Uba further disclosed that troops operating along the Gajiram–Bolori–Mile 40–Gajiganna axis engaged Boko Haram fighters near Zundur village, killing four during a firefight, while others fled into the surrounding bush.
He said two kidnap victims, Mr. Modu Kinnami, 55, and Mr. Bukar, 57, both from Guzamala, were rescued with a sack containing N750,000. Preliminary investigations revealed that the terrorists had demanded a ransom of N2 million and two new mobile phones for their release.
Additional items recovered included one pickup truck (registration number GUB 327 XA), two Tecno mobile phones, a jerrycan containing 30 litres of petrol, and N4,355,000.
Uba reaffirmed the troops’ resolve to sustain aggressive operations across the North-East to eliminate terrorist threats and restore lasting peace to affected communities.
