Troops rescue 34 kidnap victims, arrest ISWAP informant, recover arms
Naija Across Borders
Editorial Desk • Aug 3, 2026 • 3 min read
The Nigerian Army has rescued 34 kidnapped victims, arrested a suspected informant for the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition during coordinated operations conducted across the country in the last 24 hours.
An operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday said the operations were carried out by troops deployed under various military formations and theatre commands.
According to the report, troops of Operation HADIN KAI rescued 31 kidnapped victims along the Buratai-Kamuya Road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno after responding swiftly to an attempted abduction by ISWAP/Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorists.
The report said troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion detected the terrorists abducting civilians from four vehicles through Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance and immediately deployed a quick reaction force.
The troops engaged the terrorists in a firefight, forcing them to abandon the captives and flee, leaving behind one motorcycle.
In a separate operation, troops of the 145 Battalion conducted a fighting patrol to the Turoh general area in Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno.
The terrorists reportedly fled on sighting the troops, while two motorcycles and illicit drugs were recovered during exploitation of the area.
The report also disclosed that troops of the 232 Battalion Tactical arrested a suspected ISWAP informant at Garaha Market in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa.
In the North-West, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA engaged terrorists moving with rustled cattle in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara.
According to the report, the troops’ superior firepower overwhelmed the terrorists, forcing them to retreat in disarray and abandon their operation.
Similarly, troops of Operation MESA rescued a kidnapped woman and her two children along the old Obajana-Jakura-Tajimi Road in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims had been abducted on July 29 from a Ruga settlement in the Gada-Biyu area of the local government.
Meanwhile, in Plateau, troops of Operation Enduring Peace responded to reports of an attack on a herder in Bassa Local Government Area.
Although the attackers had fled before the troops arrived, the deceased and recovered cattle were handed over to the victim’s family.
The report further revealed a major breakthrough in the South-East, where troops of Operation UDO KA arrested three suspected terrorists linked to the ambush of troops in Imo State on May 4.
The arrests, carried out in Delta and Imo states, followed credible intelligence obtained from previously apprehended suspects.
During the operations, troops recovered four AK-47 rifles, one FN rifle, one pistol, 11 AK-47 magazines, two FN magazines, 239 rounds of assorted ammunition, a fragmentation jacket and other military equipment.
According to the report, some of the recovered rifles were among those stolen during the May ambush on troops, while follow-up exploitation led to the discovery of another terrorist camp containing additional arms and ammunition.
