No fewer than 315 Nigerians abducted by terrorists and kidnappers have regained their freedom in separate security operations carried out across Kwara, Niger and Ogun states within 24 hours, offering relief to hundreds of affected families.
The total includes 308 victims rescued from terrorist camps in the forests spanning Kwara and Niger states, alongside seven students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, who were kidnapped last week in Ogun State.
The 308 victims — made up of 163 people from Kwara and 145 from Niger — included women, children and a breastfeeding baby. They were rescued during a special operation in the Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP), months after they were abducted during attacks on Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State and neighbouring communities in Niger State on February 3 and 4, 2026.
The rescued victims are currently undergoing security screening and receiving medical care at Wawa Cantonment in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. The Commander of the 22 Brigade is overseeing their welfare, including feeding, treatment and temporary accommodation ahead of their evacuation.
Authorities have finalised plans to return them to their communities. Buses have been positioned at Sobi Cantonment in Ilorin to transport the Kwara victims, while both state governments are coordinating the movement of those rescued.
President Bola Tinubu welcomed the successful operation, praising the security personnel involved. He also directed relevant authorities to strengthen early-warning systems, improve community-based intelligence gathering and enhance rapid-response measures to curb future mass abductions.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun also confirmed the rescue of the seven Gateway ICT Polytechnic students abducted on July 29, stressing that no ransom was paid for their release.
Speaking to journalists at the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, Abiodun commended the combined efforts of security agencies, local hunters, vigilantes and other stakeholders whose collaboration led to the students’ rescue.
He disclosed that after the abduction, he requested aerial support from Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu.
According to him, “I reached out to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, to deploy aerial surveillance to complement the ongoing ground operations. I am pleased that he responded immediately by approving and deploying a police helicopter the same day.”
The governor explained that five students were rescued during the first phase of the operation and reunited with their families after receiving medical attention, while the remaining two were freed during a follow-up operation involving the police helicopter and ground forces.
One of the victims suffered a gunshot wound but was promptly evacuated for treatment and has since been stabilised.
Abiodun revealed that “As of this moment, two of the kidnappers have been arrested, while our security agencies remain on the trail of the remaining members of the criminal gang. The operation is still ongoing, and for operational reasons, some details cannot yet be disclosed.”
He warned that criminals would find no refuge in Ogun State, saying everyone connected to kidnapping — including collaborators, informants, logistics providers and sponsors — would be identified, arrested and prosecuted.
He added: “Kidnappers, bandits, armed robbers, cultists and every violent criminal must understand that Ogun State is not, and will never become, a sanctuary for criminality.”
The governor also commended President Tinubu for strengthening the operational capacity of security agencies, noting that federal support had contributed to recent gains against criminal groups.
Reacting to the rescues, UK-based Nigerian medical doctor, university lecturer and social affairs analyst, Dr. Chinwike Oke-Nwosu, described the development as an opportunity to improve Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly intelligence gathering and the monitoring of criminal communications.
He questioned how kidnappers could continue to communicate freely using mobile phones, saying, “How is it possible that terrorists kidnapped Nigerians and use phones to make calls within Nigeria in this day and age? That cannot be possible!”
He also expressed concern over what he described as growing public desensitisation to insecurity, warning that many Nigerians now see such incidents as routine.
Retired Rear Admiral Dickson Olisemelogor described the rescue of the 308 victims as “a welcome development,”saying it reflected improving cooperation between communities and security agencies.
According to him, “It shows that members of the affected communities are getting tired of the activities of the terrorist and are willing to cooperate with security agencies. The security agencies are now allowed to do their jobs as it should be.”
He further suggested that kidnappings were becoming less profitable as governments maintained a policy against paying ransom.
Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwagunma, also welcomed the operation, describing every rescued life as significant while urging authorities to focus on preventing future abductions.
He stressed that “Rescue operations are essential, but they should not become a substitute for effective prevention.”He called for greater investment in intelligence-led policing, stronger inter-agency coordination, protection of vulnerable communities and comprehensive support for victims after their rescue.
Senior serving military personnel, who spoke anonymously, also said the operations underscored the importance of sustained intelligence gathering, collaboration among security agencies and community support in locating and rescuing victims held in remote areas. They maintained that while preventing kidnappings remains the ultimate goal, the latest operations demonstrated that coordinated efforts can disrupt terrorist activities and secure the release of captives.
