Soldiers from the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Benin have successfully freed 14 individuals abducted during a kidnapping on the Lagos-Benin Expressway. Capt. Kennedy Anyanwu, the brigade’s spokesperson, confirmed the operation occurred in the Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State as part of Operation WABAIZIGAN.
The military response was initiated after soldiers on patrol received intelligence regarding a kidnapping that took place on Thursday evening. By applying pressure on the suspects, the troops forced them to abandon 11 captives as they retreated into nearby woods. A follow-up sweep on Friday resulted in the recovery of the remaining three individuals. All 14 victims were medically cleared and have since returned to their families.
Authorities are still working to locate the suspects involved. Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Balogun, commander of the 4 Brigade, praised his personnel for their effective response and reaffirmed the army’s dedication to ensuring safety for those traveling through Edo State. He encouraged the public to continue reporting suspicious activities to assist security forces.
