Police rescue 31 abducted persons in Edo and Taraba during coordinated security operations.
Officers engaged kidnappers in gun battles, freeing passengers and vowing continued crackdowns.
The Nigeria Police Force has rescued 31 kidnapped victims in two separate operations carried out in Taraba and Edo states.
This was disclosed in a statement released on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
According to the statement, the successful rescue missions were part of the force’s ongoing efforts to tackle the rising cases of banditry and kidnapping across the country.
“In a sustained effort against banditry and kidnapping, the Nigeria Police Force has again recorded significant breakthroughs in Taraba and Edo States, successfully rescuing 31 kidnapped victims in two separate coordinated operations,” the statement read.
In Edo State, the police said the rescue happened on Friday, July 11, 2025, at about 7:20 p.m. when officers from the state command responded swiftly to an attack along the Fugar-Agenebode road in Etsako East Local Government Area.
Suspected kidnappers had laid an ambush for travellers, killing two people and abducting several others. Following the incident, a joint team made up of police officers and members of local vigilante groups began a rescue operation around the Obe Hill area near Ajaokuta.
During the mission, the rescue team engaged the kidnappers in a gunfight. The criminals, overwhelmed, escaped with gunshot wounds, leaving behind 14 kidnapped victims who were successfully freed.
Adejobi added that the police are working hard to track down and arrest the suspects who escaped.
In a separate incident in Taraba State, another rescue was carried out on Saturday, July 12, 2025, around 11:45 p.m. after a distress call was received about a kidnapping along the Wukari highway, close to the Federal University, Wukari.
A white Toyota bus carrying 17 passengers from Enugu to Yola in Adamawa State had been attacked by suspected kidnappers. On getting the report, police officers teamed up with other security agencies and moved swiftly to the area.
When the kidnappers saw the approaching security team, they fled into the nearby bush, abandoning all 17 passengers. All victims were rescued unharmed, and efforts are ongoing to find the attackers.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, praised the quick and brave actions of the officers involved in both rescue operations.
He stated that the success of these missions reflects the police’s strong commitment to protecting lives and improving national security. He also assured the public that the force will continue to carry out targeted operations to break down criminal groups across the country.
