Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued three more people abducted by bandits in the Babanla Forest area of Kwara State as part of ongoing operations to clear criminal hideouts across the region.
The rescue was carried out by soldiers of the 2 Division/Sector 3, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, on Saturday after receiving credible intelligence on the movement of the kidnappers.
Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 22 Armoured Brigade, Ilorin, Captain Stephen Nwankwo, confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday.
He said the troops from the Patrol Base in Babanla stormed a suspected bandit hideout and freed 25-year-old Oluwabusayo Taiwo and her three-year-old son, Taiwo Irayomide, who were kidnapped 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 soon,” Nwankwo said.
He also revealed that in a separate operation the same day, troops on routine patrol along a known bandit route rescued another victim, 40-year-old Mohammed Sanni, a tea seller from Garkarima community.
According to the army, the kidnappers fled on sighting the soldiers, abandoning Sanni, who was found with injuries and later taken to the patrol base clinic for treatment.
“One Dane gun and a cutlass were recovered from the scene,” Nwankwo added.
The Commander of the 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Ezra Barkins, praised the soldiers for their bravery and swift action, assuring that the Nigerian Army would sustain the tempo of operations.
“We remain fully committed to the safety and security of all citizens and will continue to intensify operations to restore peace and stability across Kwara State and its environs,” Barkins said.
Saturday’s rescue came barely a day after troops from the same operation freed two other victims in Idofin, Irepodun Local Government Area, following a gun battle with their abductors.
Earlier in the week, soldiers also rescued two people in Lafiagi after confronting bandits who had kidnapped them from a nearby village.
Residents in parts of Ifelodun, Edu, and Patigi local government areas have been appealing for stronger security as bandit activities continue to disrupt farming and local trade in the region.
The Nigerian Army said its coordinated efforts under Operation FANSAN YAMMA show a renewed drive to restore peace and normalcy in communities across Kwara and neighbouring states.
