Soldiers under Operation ENDURING PEACE rescued several people held by kidnappers after raiding hideouts across Plateau and Kaduna states.
The military said the operations were coordinated, with troops moving on multiple locations where abductors were holding victims. Details of how many people were rescued and when the raids took place were not immediately available.
Kidnapping for ransom has become a persistent problem in both states. Criminal gangs operate across the border regions, moving victims between locations and demanding money from families. The military and police have conducted dozens of operations in recent months with mixed results.
Operation ENDURING PEACE was launched to tackle armed gangs, bandits, and kidnappers in the North Central region. The operation involves ground troops and air support, though results have been inconsistent. Communities in affected areas have complained about slow military response times and the continued boldness of criminal elements.
The military has not provided specifics about where the raids happened, which gangs were involved, or details about the victims rescued. Such information is often withheld for operational security reasons, but it also makes it difficult to assess the actual scale of the problem or the effectiveness of the operations.
Family members of kidnapping victims have repeatedly called on security agencies to do more. Many say they are left to negotiate ransom payments on their own while waiting for military intervention. The rescued victims were said to be receiving care, though the military did not specify what kind of support.
