The Nigeria Police Force has announced the successful rescue of thirty-one (31) kidnapped victims in two separate operations in Edo and Taraba States, marking a significant breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to combat banditry and kidnapping across the country.
Credit: @PoliceNG via x.com.
This was disclosed on Friday, July 18, 2025, by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, via the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Nigeria Police Force, accompanied by a press release from the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
In Edo State, on the evening of Friday, July 11th, 2025, police operatives of the state command responded to a distress call at about 7:20 pm following a violent ambush along the Fugar-Agenebode Road in Etsako East Local Government Area. The attack, perpetrated by suspected kidnappers, claimed the lives of two commuters and resulted in the abduction of several others.
A swift, joint rescue operation involving the police and local vigilante groups was immediately launched in the Obe Hill area, close to the Ajaokuta axis. The rescue team engaged the abductors in a gunfight, forcing the criminals to flee with gunshot wounds. Fourteen (14) victims were safely rescued in the process.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation in Taraba State on Saturday, July 12th, 2025, at about 11:45 pm, police operatives responded to a report of a kidnapping incident along the Wukari highway, shortly after Federal University Wukari. A white Toyota bus conveying 17 passengers from Enugu to Yola, Adamawa State, was ambushed by armed kidnappers.
Upon receiving the report, a coordinated response team comprising police operatives and other security agencies advanced to the scene. The armed kidnappers, upon sighting the approaching security forces, fled into the surrounding bushes, abandoning all 17 hostages, who were rescued unhurt.
In his reaction, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, lauded the swift and courageous response of the police operatives involved in both rescue missions. He described the successful outcomes as a reflection of the renewed and sustained commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding lives and dismantling criminal elements across Nigeria.
“The gallantry displayed in these operations sends a strong message to criminal networks that the Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in its mission to ensure public safety and national security,” the IGP stated.
He further assured Nigerians that targeted operations to root out kidnapping syndicates and restore peace in affected communities would continue with intensified efforts and strategic coordination.
Efforts are currently underway to track down and apprehend the fleeing perpetrators from both incidents.
Credit: @PoliceNG via x.com.
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