The Nigerian Navy has rescued 13 kidnapped victims in Kogi State and arrested six suspected drug peddlers in separate operations in Kogi and Rivers states.
The Navy carried out the Kogi operation in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force and local vigilantes following a reported kidnapping incident along the Itobe–Anyigba Highway in Ofu Local Council on 10 August 2026.
The victims were rescued during the operation and subsequently handed over to the relevant security authorities for screening and necessary assistance.
The security team, however, encountered resistance from the suspected kidnappers during the operation.
A vigilante member was killed, while a police officer sustained a gunshot wound and was evacuated for medical treatment.
Security agencies have since stepped up operations in the area as they continue efforts to locate and apprehend the suspects who fled the scene.
Six suspected drug peddlers arrested in Rivers
In Rivers State, personnel of the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base Bonny, working with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s Bonny Area Command, arrested six suspected drug peddlers during an intelligence-led operation in Amahausa, Bonny Local Council.
The operation also led to the recovery of several suspected illicit drugs and drug-related items.
According to the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the items recovered included 250 tablets of Exol 5, 117 wraps of Cannabis sativa, 50 wraps of methamphetamine, 70 wraps of heroin, eight 100mg Tramadol capsules, three packs of Cannabis sativa and a methamphetamine pipe.
Folorunsho said the operations demonstrated the increasing effectiveness of intelligence-led interventions, rapid response and collaboration between security agencies.
He said the successes reflected the Navy’s commitment to restricting the activities of criminal elements, protecting lives and supporting wider efforts to improve security across Nigerian communities and the maritime environment.
