Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 18 Brigade have rescued 16 kidnapped victims and recovered weapons, ammunition, 33 motorcycles and millions of naira during operations against terrorists and kidnappers in Niger State.
The operations, conducted on November 3 and 5, 2026, also resulted in the neutralisation of an unconfirmed number of terrorists and the disruption of criminal logistics.
In a statement, the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 18 Brigade, Capt. Adebayo Samuel Adewumi, said the November 5 operation followed credible intelligence about the movement of terrorists from Mashegu Local Government Area towards Rijiyan Nagwamatse in Kontagora LGA.
He said troops deployed an ambush along suspected terrorist routes, making contact with the criminals, who had earlier abducted residents of the area.
The troops neutralised an unconfirmed number of terrorists and rescued 16 victims during the encounter.
Items recovered included two AK-47 rifles, seven magazines, three rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) high-explosive anti-personnel bombs, 33 motorcycles, assorted ammunition and ₦4.105 million in cash.
In a related operation on November 3, troops intercepted terrorists moving from Makuku Village in Sakaba LGA of Kebbi State towards Tungan Kawo in Rijau LGA of Niger State.
According to the statement, the troops engaged the terrorists in a fierce firefight, forcing them to retreat into the surrounding forest with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.
A subsequent search of the area led to the recovery of five motorcycles, a mobile phone, ₦644,300 and other items.
The Army said the 16 rescued victims had received first aid and were handed over to the appropriate authorities for reunification with their families.
It added that the recovered items remained in military custody for further action.
The Commander, 18 Brigade, commended the troops for their gallantry, resilience and commitment to duty, urging them to sustain the operational momentum and intensify efforts to eliminate criminal elements within the brigade’s area of responsibility.
The statement said the successes demonstrated the growing operational capacity of the Nigerian Army through the expansion of its formations, enhanced security presence and improved ability to respond swiftly to threats.
It added that the ongoing expansion was strengthening the Army’s capacity to protect communities and disrupt the logistics and activities of criminal networks.
