A coordinated security operation has brought relief to families in Kaduna State after troops and local security partners dismantled a kidnappers’ enclave and rescued eight victims without injury.
Acting on credible intelligence, troops of Sector 7 under Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), alongside the Zango Kataf Police Area Command, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Forest Guards and local hunters, moved decisively into Badurum Kasa Forest in Kauru Local Government Area on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
The operation, carried out in the early evening, caught the kidnappers off guard. Faced with the superior coordination and firepower of the joint security team, the criminals panicked, abandoning their captives as they fled deep into the surrounding bushes.
In a scene that marked the end of a traumatic ordeal, eight abducted persons — including women and children — were rescued unharmed and later reunited with their families. The victims were identified as Zakari Saleh (52), Rashida Musa (19), Sophan Idris (18), Hafsat Nuhu (18), Ahmed Yahaya (14), Salma Yahaya (14), Hasiya Yahaya (13), and Ibrahim Saiba (11).
Beyond the immediate rescue, the operation reflects a growing shift toward intelligence-driven, community-supported security interventions in Kaduna’s troubled forest corridors. The collaboration between the military, police, and local actors once again proved critical in denying criminal groups the cover and freedom they rely on.
Security officials say such targeted offensives will continue as part of broader efforts to dismantle kidnapping networks, secure rural communities, and restore confidence along key routes across the state.
Swift Security Raid Frees Eight Captives in Kaduna Forest
