Police Rescue 31 Kidnap Victims in Taraba and Edo States

• Jul 18, 2025

Thirty-one people kidnapped in separate incidents in Taraba and Edo States have been rescued by the Nigeria Police Force following coordinated operations targeting armed criminal groups.

According to Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the operations were carried out as part of ongoing efforts to curb kidnapping and banditry across the country.

In Edo State, the rescue operation was launched on Friday, July 11, 2025, around 7:20 p.m., after an attack on commuters along the Fugar-Agenebode road in Etsako East Local Government Area. Suspected kidnappers ambushed several travelers, killing two people and abducting multiple others.

Police officers from the state command, working together with local security groups, launched a rescue mission in the Obe Hill area, close to the Ajaokuta axis. The joint team engaged the kidnappers in a gunfight, forcing the suspects to flee with gunshot wounds. Fourteen kidnapped victims were successfully rescued during the operation. Authorities have launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects to ensure they are brought to justice.

A separate incident took place in Taraba State on Saturday, July 12. At about 11:45 p.m., police responded to a distress call about a kidnapping along the Wukari highway, near the Federal University Wukari. A white Toyota bus carrying 17 passengers from Enugu to Yola, Adamawa State, had been ambushed by armed men.

Upon receiving the alert, police operatives quickly mobilized with support from other security agencies and moved to the scene. The kidnappers fled into the surrounding bushes upon spotting the approaching security forces, abandoning all 17 victims who were later rescued unharmed.

ACP Adejobi said investigations were ongoing and efforts were being intensified to arrest the criminals behind both incidents.

Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, praised the swift and courageous actions of the officers involved in both rescue missions. He said the successful outcomes demonstrate the police force’s renewed commitment to public safety and the protection of lives and property nationwide.