More than 10 people abducted along the Ogbe-Koro Road have been rescued in a joint security operation involving the Nigerian Army, Ekiti State vigilantes, Kwara State forest guards and other security personnel.
The victims were rescued in the early hours of Saturday, 10 October 2026, around Iyemero in Ekiti State, following intelligence reports that suspected kidnappers had moved across the Ekiti-Kwara border.
According to local reports, the incident began on Thursday, 8 October, when the victims were abducted along the Ogbe-Koro Road. The suspected kidnappers were later reported to have moved towards Koro in Kwara State, where they allegedly abducted more people before proceeding towards Iyemero.
The suspects’ reported movement across the two states prompted security operatives in Ekiti and Kwara to coordinate efforts to locate them and secure the release of the victims.
Troops from the Nigerian Army’s 12 and 8 Brigades, reportedly operating from Egbe, took part in the operation alongside local vigilantes, forest guards and other security personnel.
Reports indicate that the security teams tracked the suspected kidnappers to an area around Iyemero, where an encounter reportedly took place. The suspects were said to have had limited ammunition, although further details of the operation remain unclear.
The operation resulted in the rescue of more than 10 abducted persons, highlighting the role of intelligence sharing and cooperation among security agencies in tackling kidnapping across state boundaries.
The incident has again drawn attention to security challenges facing rural communities along the Ekiti-Kwara border, where forested areas and difficult terrain can provide routes for criminal groups to move between states.
The involvement of military personnel, vigilantes and forest guards also highlights the importance of cooperation between conventional security agencies and local operatives familiar with rural settlements and forest routes.
However, the rescue has not removed concerns about further attacks in the area, with sustained patrols, timely responses to distress calls and improved engagement with community leaders considered important to preventing fresh incidents.
Residents in vulnerable communities are also encouraged to report suspicious movements to security agencies, while authorities are expected to maintain surveillance of rural roads and other routes that may be exploited by criminal groups.
Further details about the identities and condition of the rescued victims, as well as whether any suspects were arrested during the operation, were not immediately available.
The operation underscores the importance of sustained security cooperation between Ekiti and Kwara states to protect border communities, prevent further abductions and bring those responsible for kidnapping to justice.
