By Akinwale Kasali
The Department of State Security, DSS, and Forest Guards have successfully rescued nine persons from kidnappers dens. They, also, killed three bandits during an operation which ended up in a fierce gun battle in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The Bandits were tracked following an
intelligence-led operation by operatives of the DSS with Forest Guards, which led to the success of the operation.
The victims rescued from their abductors included farmers, who were seized from farmlands, and others who had earlier been abducted in neighbouring Ekiti State.
The fierce gun battle forced the kidnappers to flee, abandoning their captives.
The operation, which also involved the Kwara State local hunters and vigilantes, was carried out in the Obbo Aiyegunle, Ejiu Ora and Osi axes of Ekiti LGA bordering Ekiti and Kwara States.
Prince Dada Sunday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Ekiti LGA, confirmed the operation, saying that the intelligence report gathered by security agencies led to the successful rescue mission.
Sunday said the kidnappers, numbering more than 10 had assembled victims abducted from different locations before they were overwhelmed by the security operatives.
He disclosed that one of the victims sustained serious head injuries after he was cut with a machete while resisting abduction.
Kwara Forest Guards, Owolabi Adebayo, confirmed that the operation was intelligence-driven.
“We neutralised three of them and rescued nine victims. They were heavily armed and possessed different types of firearms. We need more operational equipment, including body armour, binoculars, night vision goggles, walkie talkies and ammunition to effectively confront them”, he declared.
Umaru Muazu of Obbo Aiyegunle, one of the rescued victims recounted their ordeal, saying armed men suddenly emerged and seized him and his son.
“They came from nowhere and pointed a gun to my head. Four of them took me and my son. They also took my friend’s motorcycle before marching us into the bush,” he recounted.
Ibrahim Danga, another rescued victim said he had been held captive before security operatives arrived and engaged the kidnappers.
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