Personnel of Operation Enduring Peace successfully rescued four individuals who had been abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Rafin Sanyi–Forest axis in Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State. The swift military intervention prevented further harm to commuters traveling through the volatile corridor.
The rescue operation was initiated after military personnel stationed at Sopp received intelligence reports regarding gunmen operating along the highway at approximately 10:40 pm on 9 November.
According to security insiders who briefed media outlets, soldiers attached to Sector 6 rushed to the location following the alert. Upon arrival, they discovered that the armed men had barricaded the roadway before forcefully seizing travellers from their vehicles.
Sensing the approach of the military personnel, the attackers abandoned the roadway and attempted to escape toward nearby elevated terrain while dragging their captives along.
Undeterred by the terrain, the military personnel initiated an immediate pursuit and engaged the suspects in a gunfight. The pressure from the troops compelled the criminals to leave behind the abducted individuals and flee into the surrounding wilderness.
Who were the rescued individuals?
The liberated victims were subsequently identified as Mrs. Aisha Haruna alongside her son, ASP Yusuf Habila, Mr. Abdullahi Yunusa, and a commercial truck driver who was conveying cargo from Rivers State toward Bauchi State.
Following the successful operation, the rescued citizens were escorted to a secure military post to receive medical evaluation and necessary support before being reunited with their families.