By Queen Madaki
The Kogi State Police Command has rescued 15 passengers abducted along the Itobe-Anyigba Highway in Ofu Local Government Area of the state following a fierce gun battle between security operatives and the suspected kidnappers.
The rescue operation came less than 24 hours after suspected kidnappers attacked three commercial buses at separate locations along the Itobe-Achigili-Anyigba highway on Sunday, August 9, 2026.
According to the Kogi State Police Command, the 15 victims were rescued from their abductors in the Obolo village forest after a joint security team tracked the kidnappers to their hideout.
15 Kidnap Victims Rescued from Forest
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Kogi State Police Command, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, said in a statement on Monday, August 10, that the victims were rescued after security operatives engaged the abductors in an intense gun battle.
The operation involved personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), local vigilantes and other auxiliary security forces.
The police said the operation was launched after the Peace Mass Transit bus was intercepted at about 4pm on Sunday between Ojuwo Ajengo and Mamerebo, an identified kidnapping flashpoint along the Itobe-Achigili portion of the highway.
The Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, psc, mni, subsequently ordered the immediate mobilisation of tactical and intelligence assets to locate the abductors and rescue the victims.
Vigilante Killed, Police Officer Injured
The rescue operation reportedly resulted in a fierce exchange of gunfire between the security operatives and the kidnappers.
The police said several of the suspected kidnappers were neutralised during the encounter, while others escaped with gunshot injuries into the thick forest.
However, the security operation came at a cost, as one local vigilante supporting the operation was shot dead by the abductors.
A police officer also sustained a gunshot injury to the leg during the gun battle.
Despite the resistance encountered, the joint security team successfully closed in on the kidnappers and rescued the 15 victims from their custody.
Three Children Among Rescued Victims
The rescued victims comprised 12 adults and three children, according to the police.
The police also confirmed that two of those rescued were personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
The rescued victims were identified as:
- CRC I. Ibe – FRSC personnel
- SRC Ik. Ukandu – FRSC personnel
- Josephbah
- Joshua Daniel
- Joy Ogbu
- Chigocife Ogbu
- Charity Aneebo
- Ngozi Stephin
- Somaliya Zegu
- Chidera Emanuel
- Pamela Oraeto
- Abakwam Loveth
- Chimereze Nekuma
- Chibok Nzekwu
- Victor Edozi Anyichie
The command said the victims were found safe and unharmed and were being moved out of the operational area to safety.
Other Abducted Passengers Yet to Be Rescued
Although 15 victims have been rescued, the other passengers believed to have been abducted from the remaining two buses have not yet been accounted for.
The latest development means that security operatives are continuing their search operation across the surrounding forests to locate the remaining victims and apprehend the fleeing suspects.
The initial attacks involved three buses travelling along the highway. The first was a Hummer bus belonging to Peace Mass Transit, while a Sharon and a Sienna commercial bus were reportedly attacked later in the day at another location along the route.
Local sources had earlier reported that the occupants of the buses were taken into the bush after the vehicles encountered barricades mounted by the gunmen.
Police Intensify Operations Across Kogi
The Kogi State Police Command said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing abductors and bring them to justice.
The command also disclosed that three other coordinated security operations were ongoing at different locations across the state as part of efforts to disrupt criminal activities and protect residents.
The police urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information that could assist security agencies in tracking criminal elements.
The Command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property and sustaining intelligence-driven operations against kidnappers and other criminal groups operating across Kogi State.
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