Troops crush kidnappers’ hideout, free eight victims in Kaduna forest raid

Abdullateef Fowewe

In a decisive strike against kidnapping gangs, troops of Sector 7, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), raided a kidnappers’ hideout in Badurum Kasa Forest, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, rescuing eight victims unharmed on January 28, 2026.

Acting on “credible and actionable intelligence,” the troops launched a “swift and coordinated offensive,” as detailed in a Nigerian Army statement released Thursday.

They operated alongside the Zango Kataf Police Area Command, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Forest Guards, and local Hunters.

Contact occurred around 1759 hours, prompting the kidnappers to flee in panic. The statement noted: “unable to withstand the superior force and precision of the joint team, they abandoned their captives and fled in disarray into the surrounding bushes.”

The rescued victims—Mrs Rashida Musa (19), Mrs Hafsat Nuhu (18), Mr Zakari Saleh (52), Miss Hasiya Yahaya (13), Mr Ahmed Yahaya (14), Mr Ibrahim Saiba (11), Miss Salma Yahaya (14), and Mr Sophan Idris (18)—were quickly reunited with their families.

The operation underscores the Army’s commitment, with the statement emphasising “robust inter-agency synergy, agile ground manoeuvres and relentless resolve to protect lives, secure critical routes and deny criminal elements the freedom of action.”