Nigerian Army troops have rescued a woman abducted by bandits in Kebbi State and disrupted an attempt to collect ransom for her release.
The operation followed intelligence that the bandits were planning to collect ransom for the victim, who was abducted from her farm last month.
Acting on the information, soldiers moved to a forested location where the ransom exchange was expected to take place.
The bandits opened fire when they noticed the advancing troops, leading to a gun battle. The soldiers overpowered the attackers, forcing them to flee and abandon the victim.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Kebbi Army Command said the operation took place on Wednesday at the location where the bandits had planned to complete the ransom transaction.
Acting spokesperson for the troops, Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, said the operation was based on credible intelligence that enabled the soldiers to intervene before the ransom could be exchanged.
Osoba said the woman was found unharmed after the bandits fled the area.
He added that troops searched the route used by the fleeing bandits to ensure there were no remaining threats before returning to base.
The Army spokesperson said the military would continue to maintain pressure on terrorists and bandits operating in Kebbi and other parts of the country.
“We will keep the fire on everywhere the terrorists are. We will dismantle them to secure Kebbi State and Nigeria,” he said.
The Army also urged residents to support security operations by providing timely information on suspicious movements and activities.
According to the command, such information would help security forces disrupt criminal operations and protect communities from further attacks.
