An intelligence-led operation conducted by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) led to the killing of three suspected bandits and the rescue of nine kidnapped victims after an intense gunfight in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The rescued individuals reportedly included farmers who had been abducted from their farmlands, as well as others who were earlier kidnapped in neighbouring Ekiti State.
They regained their freedom after the abductors fled the scene under heavy gunfire, leaving their captives behind.
The joint operation involved the Kwara State Forest Guards, local hunters, and vigilantes, and was carried out across the Obbo Aiyegunle, Ejiu Ora, and Osi areas of Ekiti LGA, along the Kwara–Ekiti border.
Speaking on Wednesday, Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of Ekiti LGA, Prince Dada Sunday, confirmed the operation.
According to him, actionable intelligence gathered by security agencies made the successful rescue possible.
He explained that the kidnappers, said to be more than 10 in number, had assembled victims abducted from different locations before security operatives overpowered them.
Sunday further revealed that one of the rescued victims suffered severe head injuries after being attacked with a machete while trying to resist being abducted.
One of the rescued victims, Umaru Muazu of Obbo Aiyegunle, recounted the incident, saying armed men suddenly emerged and abducted him alongside his son.
“They came from nowhere and pointed a gun to my head. Four of them took me and my son. They also took my friend’s motorcycle before marching us into the bush,” he recounted.
Another rescued farmer, Ibrahim Danga, said the victims had been held in captivity before security personnel arrived and confronted the kidnappers.
A member of the Kwara Forest Guards, Owolabi Adebayo, confirmed that the operation was based on intelligence.
“We neutralised three of them and rescued nine victims. They were heavily armed and possessed different types of firearms. We need more operational equipment, including body armour, binoculars, night vision goggles, walkie-talkies and ammunition to effectively confront them,” he declared.
