The Nigerian Army has rescued 11 abducted persons during a late-night operation along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway, after foiling an attempt by terrorists to move their captives through a bush route.
This was made known by the Nigerian Armed Forces on its X handle ( Formerly Twitter) on Tuesday.
The rescue operation, which took place on January 26, 2026, was carried out by troops of the Forward Operating Base, Doka, following intelligence gathered through surveillance.
The army said the troops detected armed terrorists attempting to move their captives through the Gidan Duna–Amale bush track under the cover of darkness.
“Troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Doka, leveraging high-definition, long-range CCTV surveillance, detected armed terrorists attempting to move their captives through the Gidan Duna–Amale bush track under the cover of darkness and immediately initiated a coordinated interception,” the statement said.
The army added that the troops launched a swift pursuit using tactical vehicles and motorcycles, forcing the terrorists to abandon the victims and flee into the surrounding scrubland.
“A swift high-speed pursuit using tactical vehicles and motorcycles overwhelmed the criminals, forcing them to abandon their captives and flee into the surrounding scrubland, thereby averting their escape into the hinterland,” the army stated.
The operation resulted in the rescue of five adult males, three adult females, and three children, who had been in captivity for 92 days.
The Army said the victims were abducted from the Gada Mallam Maman Community on October 26, 2025, and had been in the custody of the terrorists for more than three months.
“The operation resulted in the successful rescue of five adult males, three adult females, and three children, who had been held in captivity since their abduction from Gada Mallam Maman Community on 26 October 2025,” the statement added.
It described the operation as a demonstration of the effective use of modern surveillance technology combined with agile ground operations, reaffirming its commitment to denying criminal elements freedom of movement.
“This decisive action highlights the Nigerian Army’s effective integration of modern surveillance technology with agile ground operations and stresses its relentless commitment to protecting lives, securing key routes and ensuring that criminals find no refuge by day or by night,” it said.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on terrorist and criminal elements operating along major highways and in surrounding communities.
