Security operatives have rescued two female victims who were kidnapped in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The spokesperson of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin City, Capt. Kennedy Anyanwu disclosed this in a statement.
He identified the victims as Odio Momoh, 17, and Sonia Momoh, 23.
Anyanwu said the victims were rescued through a joint operation involving troops, personnel of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (NASEME), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigeria Police Force, and local vigilantes.
He explained that troops received a distress call on March 27 that two females had been kidnapped by gunmen, prompting a coordinated bush-combing operation to rescue them and apprehend the suspects.
According to him, the suspects fled after realising they were being surrounded, abandoning the victims in the process.
“The victims were rescued at about 8.30pm on March 28 and have since been reunited with their families,” he said.
He added that efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects and dismantle their criminal network in the area.