Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division and Sector 3, Operation Fasan Yamma, have rescued 21 kidnapped victims in a major counter-banditry operation across Kwara and Kogi States.

According to a statement by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Polycarp Okoye, the operation took place on October 17, 2025, following coordinated offensives by troops of the 12 Brigade, Lokoja, and the 22 Armoured Brigade, Ilorin.

Okoye said the rescued victims included 14 males, four females, an infant, and four Chinese nationals who had been abducted from various locations across the two states. He noted that some of them had been in captivity for more than four months before intensified military operations forced the bandits to release them.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division and Commander, Sector 3, Operation Fasan Yamma, Major General C. R. Nnebeife, said the victims were immediately given first aid and relief materials to aid their recovery from the trauma of their ordeal.

Nnebeife sympathised with the victims and reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to sustaining its onslaught against criminal elements. “There will be no hiding place for bandits and other criminals within the Division’s area of responsibility,” the statement read.

He added that the rescued victims had been evacuated to a military medical facility for treatment. Many of them, he said, were too weak to walk unaided but were responding positively to care and would be reunited with their families upon full recovery.

The GOC commended the Nigerian Air Force for its air support throughout the operation and lauded other security agencies for their cooperation in tackling insecurity in the region. He also praised the troops for their dedication and directed the brigades to maintain the current tempo to restore peace and security across Kwara, Kogi, and other states under the 2 Division’s jurisdiction.