By Chimezie Godfrey
Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation ENDURING PEACE (JTF OPEP), have continued their offensive against criminal elements with the neutralisation of seven suspects and the rescue of a kidnapped victim in Kaduna State.
The operations were conducted on Tuesday, January 13, and Wednesday, January 14, 2026, within Kaura Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Captain Joshua Atu John, Acting Media Information Officer of JTF Operation ENDURING PEACE.
According to the statement, the troops were operating under Operation PEACE SHIELD across the Joint Operations Area.
Captain John said that on Tuesday, troops of Sector 7 JTF OPEP acted on credible intelligence regarding the abduction of a girl in Kajim Village.
The troops, he said, immediately mobilised and pursued the kidnappers.
“Contact was made with the criminals, and during the firefight, three of them were neutralised,” he stated.
The suspects were identified as Yusuf Musa, Auwal Adamu and Kamal Abdul.
The kidnapped victim was successfully rescued, debriefed by security personnel and reunited with her family, according to the statement.
In a follow-up operation on Wednesday, troops raided the hideout of suspected armed robbers on the outskirts of Kaura town.
Captain John said the troops engaged the criminals after making contact during the raid.
“Four criminal elements were neutralised during the meeting engagement,” he said.
Those neutralised were identified as Abubakar Ibrahim (35), Ibrahim Isa (37), Suleiman Auwal (25) and Suleiman Tahiru.
Recovered items included one fabricated rifle, five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and two motorcycles.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were part of a criminal syndicate responsible for kidnapping and armed robbery along the Ganawuri–Manchok corridor.
Captain John assured that JTF Operation ENDURING PEACE would continue to sustain pressure on criminal elements to ensure the safety and security of residents.