Military Rescues 15 NYSC Members, Six Others From Kogi Forest

The Nigerian military has rescued 21 kidnapped victims, including 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), from a forest in Kogi State.

The victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, were rescued from the Egume-Ochaja forest stretch during an ongoing military operation in the area.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed the development on Monday while giving an update on military operations across the country.

Onoja said the 15 NYSC members were among those kidnapped last week while travelling from Abuja to Bayelsa State.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria is also happy to announce that a total of 21 victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, 15 of them being National Youth Service Corps members, have just been rescued within the Egume and Ochaja forest stretch in 2 Division area of operation,” he said.

The rescue comes amid intensified military operations against terrorists and other criminal elements across the country.

The military has also vowed to sustain operations aimed at rescuing residents abducted in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State and other affected communities.

Onoja said military formations were working with other security agencies and state government institutions through intelligence sharing and joint efforts to identify areas requiring security intervention.

He cited the August 5 rescue of 308 abducted persons, predominantly women and children, from the Kainji Lake National Park as evidence of the security forces’ continued efforts to locate and rescue victims.

According to him, troops are maintaining pressure on terrorists operating in and around the Kainji Lake National Park and other identified routes to prevent further incursions and create conditions for displaced residents to return to their communities.

“The Armed Forces, therefore, reassures the people of Borgu and their communities that military operations against terrorists and criminals will be sustained in the local government area and its environs to ensure the safety of the community,” he said.

Onoja urged families of abducted persons to remain calm and avoid actions that could compromise ongoing rescue operations.

He also appealed to members of the public to provide credible information to security agencies, stressing that intelligence remained crucial to the successful rescue of kidnapped victims.

“We want to urge everybody to remain calm and have confidence in the ongoing efforts of the military and other security agencies, while avoiding actions that could compromise rescue or recovery operations,” he said.

The Director said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, remained committed to rescuing kidnapped citizens, protecting civilians and facilitating the return of internally displaced persons to their communities.

Giving an account of military operations in August, Onoja said troops neutralised more than 332 terrorists and criminals, arrested 373 suspects and rescued 610 kidnapped victims.

He said 201 terrorists also surrendered to the military during the month, while troops recovered 88 firearms and 2,077 rounds of ammunition.

The military further recovered 686,800 litres of stolen crude oil products and destroyed 21 illegal refining sites during operations against oil theft and economic sabotage.

Onoja attributed the gains to intensified kinetic and non-kinetic operations, improved intelligence gathering and enhanced collaboration among security agencies.

He added that the number of terrorists who surrendered increased from 11 in June to 57 in July and 201 in August, describing the development as an indication of growing pressure on terrorist groups.

He said the Chief of Defence Staff commended troops for their sacrifices in rescuing abducted citizens, combating terrorists and armed criminals, dismantling criminal networks, disrupting illegal oil bunkering and protecting critical national assets.