Nigerian security forces have rescued more than 300 hostages and killed dozens of suspected militants during a series of coordinated operations in the central states of Kogi and Kwara, marking one of the most significant security successes in recent months amid the country’s worsening kidnapping and banditry crisis.

According to the Nigerian Police Force, a total of 309 hostages were freed during the operations, while at least 55 suspected terrorists were killed and 129 others arrested following intense clashes with security personnel. The operations, which followed months of intelligence gathering and inter-agency coordination, were carried out as part of a broader national effort to stem the tide of kidnappings and violent attacks that have plagued large parts of Nigeria’s northern and Middle Belt regions.

Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the figures during an interview with Channels Television on January 14, emphasizing that the fatalities occurred during armed confrontations rather than unlawful actions by security forces. “Some people might want to say these were extrajudicial killings, so I have to make it clear – these were firefights,” Hundeyin stated, underscoring that officers were met with armed resistance while attempting to rescue captives and dismantle militant camps.

Hundeyin said the operations were the result of “months of intelligence gathering and planning” involving multiple security agencies, including the police, military units, and other specialized security services. He added that the coordinated approach was necessary due to the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by armed........

© Blitz