Troops of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) have rescued six kidnapped victims during separate operations in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The operation took place on Tuesday, October 6, following intelligence on the movement of suspected terrorists around Wanka and Yuli communities in Wase LGA.
In the first operation, troops deployed at Kukawa responded to information about the movement of the suspects towards Wanka Village. Their intervention forced the suspected terrorists to flee on motorcycles, leaving behind two kidnapped victims who were subsequently rescued.
The victims were identified as 14-year-old Muhammed Jibo and 12-year-old Muhammed Yahaya. The two boys told the troops that they had been abducted on September 6 while on their way to meet their father at a farm in Dadin Kowa Village, Kanam Local Government Area.
In a separate operation later that morning, troops conducting a fighting patrol around Yuli Village encountered suspected terrorists. During the encounter, the suspects fled into the forest, abandoning four kidnapped victims.
The four rescued victims were identified as 25-year-old Yakubu Yahaya, 22-year-old Yahuza Dapji, 20-year-old Yahaya Jibo and 18-year-old Sani Abubakar, all from Dadin Kowa Village in Kanam LGA. They were subsequently handed over to the Village Head of Yuli for further necessary action.
The military said troops have continued offensive operations and routine patrols across the OPEP Joint Operations Area to protect communities, schools and other critical infrastructure.
