Abuja, June 24, 2026 – Security forces conducting nationwide internal security operations have rescued two women abducted in Kwara State and successfully disrupted attempted kidnappings in Ondo State, as military pressure on criminal groups continues across affected regions.
This was contained in an operational update made available on Wednesday.
According to the report, troops under Operation Savannah Shield carried out a fighting patrol in the Ndanaku-Lata area of Patigi Local Government Area, Kwara State, where they rescued the two victims.
The women were said to have been kidnapped on April 2 while returning from Patigi Market along the Ndanaku–Mari village route.
Preliminary findings showed that the victims, both from Ndanaku community, were abandoned by their abductors along the Lata–Ndanaku forest corridor as the criminals fled due to military pressure.
The rescued women were later reunited with their families after receiving necessary assistance from the troops.
In a separate operation, troops stationed at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bangi in Niger State foiled an attempted kidnapping of farmers along the Kukata–Kotonkoro road in Mariga Local Government Area.
The soldiers engaged the attackers in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon the mission and escape into nearby forest areas.
Reinforcement units were later deployed to pursue the fleeing suspects, with reports indicating that traces of blood were found along their escape route.
In another development, troops of Operation MESA, working alongside the police and other security agencies, stopped two separate kidnapping attempts in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The security teams responded to distress calls over attempted abductions in Ojana New Layout and Igbegun area near Owo Housing Estate.
Their swift intervention disrupted the attackers’ operation, forcing them to flee into surrounding bushes.
The intended victims and their relatives were rescued unharmed, although one civilian sustained a gunshot injury to the leg and was taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, for treatment.
Authorities confirmed that follow-up clearance operations and bush combing efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects, while surveillance has been intensified in the affected communities.
The operations highlight continued military efforts to curb kidnapping activities and strengthen security across vulnerable areas of the country.