Police rescue 12 kidnap victims, recover arms in nationwide operations

The Nigeria Police Force has reported the rescue of 12 kidnapped individuals and the recovery of firearms in nationwide security operations conducted from September 29 to October 2, 2026. Taraba State saw the rescue of three out of five abducted persons, while Ogun State saw the safe return of nine travelers abducted earlier. In Sokoto State, armed bandits were thwarted from attacking Tsabre Village, resulting in the seizure of two rocket launchers and two AK-47 magazines.

Katsina State witnessed a successful intervention against bandits targeting motorists, allowing traffic to resume on the Funtua-Zaria Road. Benue State saw the arrest of a suspected bandit during an ambush, with a locally-made firearm recovered. Oyo State arrested three men suspected of armed robbery, recovering an iPhone 7 Plus belonging to a robbery victim.

Akwa Ibom State authorities arrested three suspects in Itiam Etoi Village, seizing suspected cannabis and other illicit drugs. Ogun State also arrested three suspected cult members, recovering cannabis, laptops, soap, and drug pipes. Cross River State arrested a suspect with a locally-made gun, and Ebonyi State recovered a locally-made short gun from a suspected criminal.

Enugu detectives arrested a suspect over the killing of a 16-year-old boy, while Ekiti State saw the arrest of a suspect involved in a microfinance bank employee's death. Police operations in Sokoto State also involved restoring calm during a communal dispute, and interventions in Cross River State and Enugu State led to the arrest of suspects involved in various incidents. Investigations into these incidents are ongoing.