BENIN CITY — In a swift counter-kidnapping operation, troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, successfully rescued 14 travelers abducted along the Lagos-Benin Expressway in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The military intervention, executed between the night of July 30 and July 31, underscores the critical impact of real-time civilian intelligence combined with rapid, relentless troop deployment.

Night Attack and Relentless Forest Pursuit

The incident began at approximately 9:30 PM on July 30, when armed criminals intercepted passenger vehicles along the busy interstate corridor:

• Instant Response: Upon receiving distress intelligence, patrol units attached to the 4 Brigade did not wait for daylight. Troops immediately mobilized, tracked the abductors’ withdrawal corridor into the dense forest terrain, and applied sustained pressure.
• Initial 11 Rescued: Overwhelmed by the advancing soldiers, the kidnappers abandoned 11 of the 14 victims in their rush to escape deep into the jungle.
• Zero Abandonded Victims: Refusing to declare partial success, the operation continued into the following morning. On July 31, search teams resumed deep-forest combing operations, successfully locating and rescuing the remaining three victims.

Medical Clearance & Family Reunion

Following the rescue, the Army confirmed that all 14 individuals underwent medical screening and preliminary debriefs before being reunited with their families or permitted to proceed with their travel plans:

  LOCATION:            Ovia North East LGA, Edo State (Lagos-Benin Expressway)
  TACTICAL UNIT:       4 Brigade, Nigerian Army (Under Brig. Gen. Ahmed Balogun)
  TIMELINE:            July 30 (Night) – July 31 (Morning)
  RESCUE BREAKDOWN:    Phase 1: 11 Victims Abandoned | Phase 2: 3 Victims Located
  FINAL CASUALTY RATE: Zero (All 14 Passengers Rescued in Stable Condition)

The Power of Civilian-Military Collaboration

Military authorities praised members of the public who promptly supplied actionable intelligence, noting that timely information remains the most effective weapon against criminal syndicates operating along highways.

Clearance operations remain ongoing across the Ovia North East forest axis to track down and neutralize the fleeing kidnappers.