The Nigerian military has rescued 21 kidnapped persons, including 15 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), from a forested area in Kogi State.
The victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, were recovered from the Egume-Ochaja forest stretch during ongoing military operations in the area.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, announced the development on Monday, August 31, 2026, saying the NYSC members were among those abducted last week while travelling from Abuja to Bayelsa State.
According to him, the successful rescue underscores the military’s intensified efforts to locate and recover persons held by terrorists and other criminal groups across the country.
Onoja said the operation was conducted within the 2 Division area of operation, with troops working alongside other security agencies and relevant state institutions.
The rescue comes amid heightened military operations in Niger State, particularly in and around Borgu Local Government Area, following recent abductions in the region.
The military authorities said troops were maintaining pressure on criminal and terrorist groups operating around the Kainji Lake National Park and adjoining areas, with the objective of restricting their movements and preventing further attacks on communities.
Onoja recalled that security forces had on August 5 rescued 308 abducted persons, mainly women and children, from the Kainji Lake National Park.
He said the series of operations demonstrated the military’s growing capacity to locate abducted persons, disrupt criminal networks and return victims safely to their families.
He assured residents of Borgu and neighbouring communities that the military would not relent until the security threats in the area were substantially contained.
The defence spokesman also appealed to relatives of abducted persons to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies, warning against actions capable of jeopardising ongoing rescue operations.
He said credible and timely information from members of the public remained critical to the success of military operations.
Meanwhile, the military disclosed that its operations across the country in August resulted in the neutralisation of more than 332 terrorists and other criminals, while 373 suspects were arrested.
A total of 610 kidnapped persons were also rescued during the month, while 201 terrorists surrendered to the troops.
The operations further yielded the recovery of 88 firearms and 2,077 rounds of ammunition.
In the fight against economic sabotage, the military reported the recovery of 686,800 litres of stolen crude oil products and the destruction of 21 illegal refining sites.
Onoja attributed the operational gains to intensified military action, improved intelligence gathering and stronger collaboration among security agencies.
He noted that the number of terrorists surrendering to troops had risen sharply, from 11 in June to 57 in July and 201 in August, describing the trend as an indication of increasing pressure on terrorist groups.
He said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, had directed troops to sustain operations against terrorists and criminal elements, with particular emphasis on protecting civilians, rescuing abducted persons and creating conditions for internally displaced Nigerians to return home.
The defence chief, according to Onoja, also commended troops for their sacrifices and continued efforts to dismantle criminal networks, combat terrorism and protect critical national assets.
