More Kwara abductees rescued as military sustains pressure on bandits

Troops of the 2 Division/Sector 3, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued three more kidnapped victims from the Babanla Forest in Kwara State, as the Nigerian Army intensifies its offensive against bandits terrorising communities in the area.

According to a statement on Sunday by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 22 Armoured Brigade, Ilorin, Captain Stephen Nwankwo, the victims were rescued during coordinated operations on Saturday, following credible intelligence on the movement of the kidnappers.

Nwankwo said troops deployed at the Patrol Base, Babanla, stormed a suspected bandit hideout and successfully rescued Mrs. Oluwabusayo Taiwo, 25, and her three-year-old son, Taiwo Irayomide, who were abducted at Oke-Ode on September 28, 2025.

“The rescued victims are currently receiving first aid treatment at the Patrol Base sickbay and will be reunited with their family members in due course,” the statement read.

In a separate operation the same day, troops on routine patrol along a known bandit route also rescued Mr. Mohammed Sanni, a 40-year-old tea seller from Garkarima community. The bandits reportedly fled upon sighting the patrol team, abandoning the victim, who was found in a pool of blood.

“One Dane gun and a cutlass were recovered from the scene,” Nwankwo added, noting that the victim was receiving medical attention at the Patrol Base clinic.

The Commander, 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Ezra Barkins, commended the troops for their bravery and swift response, assuring that the Nigerian Army would sustain its operations until criminal elements were completely flushed out of the state.

“We remain fully committed to the safety and security of all citizens and will continue to intensify operations to restore peace and stability across Kwara State and its environs,” Barkins said.

Saturday’s rescue came barely 24 hours after troops of the same operation freed two kidnapped victims in Idofin, Irepodun Local Government Area, following a fierce gun duel with their abductors.

Earlier in the week, the army had also rescued two persons in Lafiagi after engaging suspected bandits who had kidnapped them from a nearby village.

Residents in parts of Ifelodun, Edu, and Patigi local government areas have repeatedly called for a stronger security presence as bandit activities continue to threaten farming and local trade in the region.

The coordinated response by troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA signals a renewed determination by the military to restore normalcy to affected communities in Kwara and neighbouring states.

Meanwhile, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress  in neighbouring Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has urged the Service Chiefs to intensify their offensive against insurgents and other violent criminals across the country to restore public confidence in the military.

Oyintiloye made the call in a statement issued on Sunday in Osogbo.

He said the capacity of the nation’s security agencies to crush bandits and other criminals was not in doubt, but stressed that more decisive action was needed to end the killings ravaging parts of the North and other regions.

Expressing concern over the rise in killings by suspected bandits in Kwara, Borno, Zamfara, and Niger states, the APC chieftain urged security heads to go tougher on the perpetrators and their sponsors.

“There is no doubt that the Service Chiefs are doing their best to stop the killings by bandits, but they need to be more ruthless until insurgency is completely defeated in our land.

“I also urge them to look inwards and identify those who might be sabotaging their efforts. This is very important to restore public confidence in the security agencies. People are tired and many now live in fear due to the activities of violent criminals,” Oyintiloye said.

He further emphasised the need to involve local security networks and community members in intelligence gathering to enhance the fight against insecurity.(Punch)