By Emem Nsini-Godwin
Operatives of the Nasarawa State Police Command have rescued four kidnapped victims unharmed after engaging suspected kidnappers in a fierce gun battle along the Akwanga–Jos Road in Akwanga Local Government Area of the state.
The operation was launched following a distress call reporting the activities of suspected kidnappers around the Megona Filling Station in Andaha at about 9:40 p.m. on Monday, July 21, 2026.
Confirming the development in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lafia, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Andaha Division immediately mobilised a team of operatives to the scene upon receiving the report.
According to the police spokesperson, the suspects opened fire on the operatives as they approached, prompting a gun battle.
“On sighting the police, the armed hoodlums opened fire on the operatives, leading to a gun duel. However, the police responded with superior tactical firepower, forcing the criminals to abandon their victims and flee into the surrounding bush with varying degrees of injuries,” the statement read.
The police said all four victims were rescued unharmed during the operation.
Operatives also recovered a quantity of provisions suspected to have been looted from a nearby store. The recovered items have been taken into police custody as exhibits pending further investigation.
Commending the officers involved in the operation, the Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa State, CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed, praised their bravery and swift response, describing the successful rescue as a demonstration of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
The commissioner subsequently ordered an intensive manhunt for the fleeing suspects, directing that all available operational and intelligence resources be deployed to ensure their arrest and prosecution.
SP Nansel disclosed that the ongoing search involves collaboration between the police, military personnel, local vigilante groups, and hunters, with coordinated bush-combing operations continuing across the affected area.
He also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and support security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could assist ongoing efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects and combat criminal activities in the state.
The latest rescue operation underscores the sustained efforts by security agencies to tackle kidnapping and other violent crimes along major highways in Nasarawa State and neighbouring communities.
