Troops under the 2 Division/Sector 3 of Operation FANSAN YAMMA have successfully rescued three more kidnap victims from the Babanla Forest in Kwara State as part of intensified military efforts to combat banditry across the region.
The Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for the 22 Armoured Brigade, Ilorin, Captain Stephen Nwankwo, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, noting that the operation was conducted on Saturday after credible intelligence revealed the movement of suspected kidnappers in the area.
According to him, troops stationed at the Babanla Patrol Base raided a suspected hideout, leading to the rescue of 25-year-old Oluwabusayo Taiwo and her three-year-old son, Taiwo Irayomide, who were abducted at Oke-Ode on September 28, 2025.
“The rescued victims are currently receiving first aid treatment at the Patrol Base sick bay and will be reunited with their family members in due course,” Captain Nwankwo said.
In a separate operation on the same day, troops on routine patrol along a known bandit route rescued Mr. Mohammed Sanni, a 40-year-old tea seller from the Garkarima community. The army said the bandits fled upon sighting the soldiers, leaving the victim behind in a pool of blood.
*One Dane gun and a cutlass were recovered from the scene,” Nwankwo added, confirming that the injured victim is receiving medical care at the patrol base clinic.
The Commander of the 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Ezra Barkins, commended the troops for their courage and swift response, assuring residents that the Nigerian Army remains committed to restoring peace and security in the state.
*We remain fully committed to the safety and security of all citizens and will continue to intensify operations to flush out criminal elements from Kwara and its environs,” Barkins stated.
Saturday’s rescue came barely 24 hours after troops of the same operation freed two kidnap victims in Idofin, Irepodun Local Government Area, following a gun duel with the abductors.
Earlier in the week, soldiers had also rescued two abducted persons in Lafiagi after engaging bandits in a fierce exchange of gunfire.
Residents of Ifelodun, Edu, and Patigi local government areas have repeatedly appealed for stronger security presence as bandit activities continue to disrupt farming and trade in the region.
The ongoing coordinated response under Operation FANSAN YAMMA reflects a renewed military determination to restore normalcy to communities affected by rising insecurity in Kwara and neighbouring states.
