The Nigerian army said Tuesday it rescued 11 kidnapped victims during a precision night operation, ending their 92-day captivity.
The operation was launched late Monday along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway after the kidnappers were detected using advanced surveillance, the army said on US social media company X. The suspects fled the area, abandoning their captives.
The rescued victims, including three children, had been held since their abduction from the Gada Mallam Maman community in October, according to the army statement.
Nigeria has faced a prolonged security crisis marked by kidnappings, banditry and militant violence, particularly in the northwest and central regions.
The situation has drawn international attention in recent months, with US officials alleging that violence in parts of the country amounts to persecution of Christian communities. Some commentators have described aspects of the conflict as religiously targeted violence.
The Nigerian government has rejected claims of genocide or religious persecution, saying both Christian and Muslim communities are affected and that the violence is driven by criminal activity, poverty and other socio-economic factors.
Late last year, the US carried out airstrikes against militant camps in northwestern Nigeria in coordination with the Nigerian government as part of counterterrorism cooperation aimed at weakening extremist networks.
