Authorities say that troops of the Nigerian Army (NA) deployed to counter insurgency in North West Nigeria, have on Wednesday successfully defended Damba Dikko village, a community in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State, which came under attack of marauding insurgents seeking to forcefully extort levies from the villagers.
In response to a distress call, vigilant troops swiftly entered the village and engaged the insurgents in a firefight, resulting in the neutralization of two insurgents and the rescue of two villagers who had been held hostage.
The rescued villagers, who sustained minor injuries, have received medical attention from NA paramedics.
On the same day, Nigerian Army troops conducted a daring rescue operation, liberating four kidnapping victims who had been abducted by a notorious gang of kidnappers in Edo State.
The kidnappers had forcibly taken their captives, including one woman and three men, into Ososo forest in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the state. However, the gallant troops tracked and intercepted the criminals, engaging them in a firefight and successfully extracting the abductees.
According to army spokesman Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, one of the kidnappers has been apprehended and is currently undergoing preliminary investigation, with plans to subsequently hand him over to the appropriate prosecuting agency.
One of the rescued victims, who experienced shock and fatigue, has been evacuated to a medical facility for treatment, while the others have been reunited with their families.
The Nigerian Army expresses gratitude to the public for their cooperation with troops and other security agencies in combating security challenges in the country. They encourage continued vigilance and prompt reporting of any suspected security breaches to relevant authorities.