Troops of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, working with the Nigeria Police Force, have killed a suspected kidnapper and rescued a 50-year-old farmer abducted at his farm in Edo State.
The victim, identified as Lucky Egbiki, was kidnapped at Okehussan, Ubiaja, in Esan South-East Local Government Area of the state.
The security forces, acting on credible intelligence, reportedly used ransom negotiations to lure the kidnappers to a predetermined location at Onogholo on Thursday, August 6, where troops engaged the gang.
One of the kidnappers who arrived to collect the ransom was killed during the gun battle, forcing other members of the gang to abandon the victim and flee into the surrounding forest.
Some of the fleeing suspects were believed to have sustained gunshot wounds.
Egbiki was subsequently rescued unhurt, while troops recovered the N1.5 million ransom the kidnappers were reportedly expecting to collect.
The Army said the rescued farmer was subjected to preliminary debriefing and medical assessment before being reunited with his family in stable condition.
In a follow-up operation conducted on August 7 and 8, troops combed the surrounding forest in search of the fleeing kidnappers but made no further contact with the gang.
The Commander, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ahmed Balogun, commended the troops for their courage, professionalism and proactive response.
Balogun said the Brigade would sustain intelligence-driven operations to deny kidnappers and other criminal elements safe havens across its area of responsibility.
He also urged residents to provide security agencies with timely and credible information, stressing that community cooperation remained critical to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.
The Brigade said its operations would continue to focus on protecting lives and property while creating a safer environment for farming and other legitimate economic activities across Edo State.