Nigeria army rescues 11 kidnap victims on Kaduna–Abuja highway

Nigeria’s army said it has rescued eleven kidnapping victims during an overnight operation along the Kaduna–Abuja highway.

According to the military, troops from the Forward Operating Base in Doka spotted the group on the night of January 26th using long‑range surveillance equipment. Soldiers moved in after observing the gunmen escorting their captives along a bush path.

The five men, three women and three children had been held for 92 days, after being abducted in October from the community of Gada Mallam Maman in Kaduna State.

Kidnapping for ransom remains a major security challenge in north‑west and central Nigeria, particularly along the key Kaduna–Abuja road – a vital transport link between the country’s economic and federal capitals.

Gunmen in Nigeria’s conflict hot spots often ride on motorcycles through vast forest reserves that serve as their hideouts, making it easier to evade security forces.

In the past few months, Nigeria has been in the crosshairs of the U.S. government, which has accused the Nigerian government of not protecting Christians in the country's security crisis, although attacks affect both Christians and Muslims.

The accusation from the U.S. has led to a diplomatic rift between the countries and to the U.S. launching an attack against alleged Islamic State group members on Nigerian territory in December, an operation the Nigerian government said it was aware of.