The Armed Forces of Nigeria have arrested five suspected members of a criminal syndicate allegedly involved in the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members in Imo State, while rescuing more than 70 kidnapped victims during nationwide operations between October 15 and 22, 2026.
The Defence Headquarters disclosed this in a statement issued to defence correspondents in Abuja by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, who said troops also arrested suspected terrorists, recovered arms and ammunition, and seized ₦10m suspected to be ransom money during operations across the country.
According to the military, the five suspects were arrested on October 16 during an operation targeting a criminal syndicate allegedly responsible for abducting the prospective corps members in the Irete/Orogwe area of Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
The operation, conducted under Operation Udo Ka, also led to the recovery of three AK-47 rifles, one English pistol and 81 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
The military did not disclose the identities of the suspects or provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction of the prospective corps members.
The arrests formed part of a wider security operation in which troops conducted clearance missions, responded to distress calls and pursued suspected terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal groups across several states.
The Defence Headquarters said the operations resulted in the rescue of more than 70 abducted persons, including 27 villagers from Gamji community in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State and 29 farmers in Mariga, Niger State.
Troops also rescued a resident abducted from Fanyabo village in Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State, where two suspected kidnappers were neutralised and ₦10m suspected to have been paid as ransom was recovered.
Onoja said the operations were intelligence-driven and aimed at restricting the activities of terrorists, kidnappers, gunrunners and other criminal elements operating across the country’s geopolitical zones.
In the North-East, troops under Operation Hadin Kai sustained offensive operations against terrorists in Borno and Yobe states, recording arrests, weapons recoveries and the surrender or interception of suspected fighters and their family members.
The military spokesman said troops conducted clearance operations between October 16 and 18 following an attack on their location at Mairari in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.
The operation resulted in the recovery of eight AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, 300 rounds of PKT ammunition, two rocket-propelled grenade bombs and chargers, a handheld radio and a motorcycle.
On October 22, troops also intercepted a person who had escaped from captivity in Chikide village in the Mandara Mountains, along the Guduf-Bubayagwa axis of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The escapee was subsequently handed over to officials at the internally displaced persons camp in Gwoza, according to the statement.
Onoja said troops also arrested suspected terrorist logistics suppliers and collaborators at Benisheikh Market in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State. Another suspected terrorist was arrested after reportedly claiming to have been recruited through a social media group in 2024.
Other suspected collaborators were arrested at Kanama in Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State, while further arrests were made in Damboa on October 19 over alleged supplies of clothing materials for terrorist uniforms at the Maidaji and Multe camps.
The military also reported that 19 terrorist fighters and family members surrendered to, or were intercepted by, troops in Bama, Konduga, Mafa and Gwoza local government areas of Borno State between October 16 and 22.
“Between 16 and 22 October 2026, a total of 19 terrorist fighters and family members surrendered to, or were intercepted by, troops in Bama, Konduga, Mafa and Gwoza LGAs of Borno State,” Onoja said.
He added that the individuals cited hunger, hardship and violent clashes between rival terrorist factions as reasons for leaving the camps.
In the North-West, troops operating under Operation Fansan Yamma sustained operations against terrorism and banditry across Kano, Katsina and Sokoto states.
In Katsina, troops responded to a distress call and rescued 27 residents abducted from Gamji community in Sabuwa Local Government Area. The victims comprised 15 men and 12 women.
“All 27 victims were rescued and, after profiling, handed over to the village head,” Onoja said, adding that several fleeing attackers were believed to have sustained gunshot wounds.
In Kano, troops tracked kidnappers who had demanded ransom for a resident abducted from Fanyabo village in Tudun Wada Local Government Area.
Onoja said the operation, conducted between October 16 and 17, led troops to Yan Taburmi in Falgore Forest, where two suspected kidnappers were neutralised and the victim rescued.
“Troops searched the area and recovered Ten Million Naira (₦10,000,000.00) suspected to be the ransom paid by the family,” he said.
The money and the rescued victim were handed over to the family in the presence of the district head, the head of the local security group and the divisional police officer.
In Niger State, troops under Operation Savannah Shield sustained operations against terrorism and kidnapping, while troops under Operation Whirl Stroke conducted operations against kidnapping, banditry and arms trafficking in Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa and Taraba states.
Onoja said troops ambushed suspected kidnappers on October 16 as they moved victims from Kwara State into Kogi State along the route between Okoloke and Isanlu-Esa communities in Yagba West Local Government Area.
The suspects abandoned five victims during the operation, and the victims were rescued and handed over to community leaders.
On October 17, troops working with local security groups rescued a herder abducted at Kabusu in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. The victim was found tied up and abandoned under a tree along the Gurku-Kawu grazing route.
Two days later, troops pursued attackers who had assaulted a commercial bus along the Ayere-Kabba Road in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. The suspects withdrew, allowing troops to rescue 11 passengers. The driver and two other passengers who sustained injuries were evacuated for medical treatment.
In Edo State, troops under Operation Delta Safe conducted an offensive operation against suspected kidnappers at Amendokhian Forest in Esan North-East Local Government Area, neutralising one suspect and recovering a pump-action rifle with six live cartridges.
In Anambra State, troops under Operation Udo Ka responded to a distress call following a suspected attack by secessionist elements on local security personnel at Udoka Layout Gate, Nsugbe Abata, in Anambra East Local Government Area.
The attack left one local security group member unconscious, according to the military. Troops pursued the fleeing suspects, who abandoned a bus and escaped in another vehicle. The bus, bearing the inscription of an anti-touting squad, was seized alongside a pump-action gun and five cartridges.
Onoja said the operations reflected improved collaboration between the Armed Forces and other security agencies.
He added that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, commended troops for their efforts, particularly the rescue of the 27 villagers in Katsina and 29 farmers in Mariga, the recovery of the suspected ransom in Kano and the continued surrender of terrorist fighters in the North-East.
Oluyede urged personnel to remain disciplined, respect human rights, observe the rules of engagement and avoid complacency. He also called on traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and other stakeholders to report threats promptly, reject mob action and avoid providing safe havens for criminal elements.
“The AFN remains focused on sustaining this operational tempo until peace and security are restored across the nation,” Onoja said.
West Trybe reports that the arrest of five suspects over the alleged abduction of prospective corps members, alongside the rescue of more than 70 kidnapped victims, underscores the scale of kidnapping and terrorism confronting security agencies and the continuing need for coordinated operations to protect civilians across Nigeria.
