Metro
Soldiers storm forests, rescue abducted retired colonel in Plateau
Nigerian Army troops have successfully rescued a retired senior military officer, Colonel Ajanaku, who was abducted by armed men from his residence in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The retired officer was kidnapped in the early hours of Monday, January 5, 2026, at about 12:45 a.m., when gunmen reportedly stormed his home opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road. The attackers whisked him away under the cover of darkness before security could respond.
Following the incident, troops drawn from relevant military formations were immediately deployed to track the assailants. The soldiers were said to have trailed the kidnappers through the Wildlife Park axis, intensifying search-and-rescue operations around caves, forests and rocky high grounds believed to serve as criminal hideouts.
Security sources disclosed that the kidnappers later contacted the victim’s wife, demanding a ransom of N200 million while threatening to kill the retired officer if rescue operations were not stopped. Despite the threat, security forces reportedly adjusted their strategy, switching to covert operations to avoid endangering the victim.
The strategy yielded results later the same day, as Colonel Ajanaku was rescued alive at about 5:30 p.m. at the outskirts of the Rafiki axis in Bassa Local Government Area. He was immediately evacuated to a military medical facility for medical evaluation.
Sources said the rescued officer is stable and will be debriefed to provide useful intelligence that could aid follow-up operations against the kidnappers. Meanwhile, troops have continued combing surrounding forests and suspected hideouts as efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects remain ongoing.
Security operations in the area have been intensified to prevent further criminal activity and reassure residents of the military’s presence.
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