Army Rescues Kidnapped Woman, Child In Kogi Attack

TROOPS of the Nigerian Army have rescued a woman, Adekemi Idowu, and her six-month-old child who were kidnapped on Wednesday, June 3, in Egbe, Yagba West Local Council of Kogi State.
Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, Hassan Abdullahi, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, June 4, said the two were rescued after troops responded to a distress call and pursued the kidnappers.
Abdullahi explained that the incident occurred late on Wednesday when armed men invaded a residence near Solid Rock School in the Ijalu area of Egbe and abducted five family members.
He said the victims included the woman, her infant child and three others, adding: “Upon receiving the distress report, troops immediately mobilised, in conjunction with members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), launching a pursuit operation along the terrorists’ withdrawal route.”
He stated that sustained pressure from the troops and local vigilantes forced the kidnappers to abandon Idowu and her child near the Oro axis before fleeing into the surrounding area, saying the rescued victims were safely reunited with their family, while security operatives continued search operations to rescue the remaining captives and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
There was fear in the community following the inceident, as the attackers reportedly stormed the area at dusk, firing sporadically and causing panic among residents, many of whom fled for safety.
A resident said the heavily-armed attackers operated unhindered for several minutes before escaping with the victims.
Residents have expressed concern over the growing frequency of attacks in the area, making them to live in constant fear, while appealling to government and security agencies to come to their aid.