Soldiers rescue seven kidnap victims, kill two kidnappers, and arrest four ISWAP suspects

Soldiers have rescued seven people who were kidnapped. They killed two kidnappers and arrested four suspected terrorists linked to ISWAP.

The soldiers also found weapons, ammunition, and other items during their operations in Borno, Yobe, Benue, and Plateau states.

An operational report from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday revealed that troops from Operation HADIN KAI rescued two women and two children who escaped from an ISWAP camp in Agapalawa, located in the Mandara Mountains of Gwoza Local Government Area (LGA) in Borno.

The report mentioned that a woman and her child, thought to be related to an ISWAP terrorist, also gave themselves up after fleeing from the Gobara area in the Sambisa Forest.

According to the report, the troops worked with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) to arrest four suspected ISWAP terrorists in Gwoza, Gujba, and Kukawa LGAs of Borno and Yobe.

"One of the suspects admitted to spying on troops carrying out operations along the Baga, Cross Kauwa road and providing supplies to the terrorists," it stated.

The report also said that soldiers stopped an attempt by ISWAP fighters to enter Kirawa in Gwoza. The fighters left behind a motorcycle, and a Nigerian Air Force plane later neutralised another terrorist heading towards Marte.

In another operation, troops found and safely detonated an improvised explosive device along the Maiduguri, Gamboru highway in Dikwa LGA. This action helped prevent a possible attack on commuters.

In Benue, troops from Operation WHIRL STROKE, along with local hunters and the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, rescued four kidnapped victims and killed two kidnappers during operations in Katsina-Ala.

The troops seized one AK-47 rifle, one G3 rifle, one pistol, 221 rounds of different ammunition, magazines, military uniforms, and a Point-of-Sale terminal from the kidnappers' hideouts, the report added.

Additionally, the report stated that troops arrested five suspected militia members during follow-up raids on criminal hideouts in Otukpo LGA. They recovered a Dane gun and ammunition.

In Plateau, soldiers from Operation ENDURING PEACE recovered a homemade rifle and ammunition from a suspected terrorist hideout in the Agingi, Dogon Dutse mountainous area of Bassa LGA.

The report also noted that troops intercepted 15 jerrycans of smuggled Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Mubi North LGA. Meanwhile, troops from Operation DELTA SAFE took down an illegal oil refining site and seized equipment used for crude oil theft in Rivers.