A coordinated security operation involving the Department of State Services (DSS), Kwara State Forest Guards, local vigilantes and hunters has led to the rescue of nine kidnapped victims and the killing of three suspected bandits in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, marking another significant breakthrough in the state’s fight against kidnapping and armed criminality.

According to security sources, the operation was launched after intelligence revealed that armed kidnappers had abducted several residents from Eju community shortly after the local market closed. The victims were reportedly being marched through a dense forest route toward neighbouring Niger State when the joint security team intercepted the kidnappers.

The encounter resulted in a fierce exchange of gunfire, during which three of the suspected bandits were killed. The remaining members of the criminal gang reportedly escaped into the surrounding forest with gunshot wounds as security operatives intensified pursuit operations across the area.

All nine abducted victims were rescued alive during the operation. One of the victims, Umaru Muazu of Obbo-Aiyegunle, recounted that he and his son were seized by the gunmen during the attack, describing the rescue as a life-saving intervention that came when hope was fading. He praised the security personnel for arriving before the kidnappers could cross into another state.

The successful operation took place in the Obbo-Aiyegunle, Ejiu-Ora and Osi corridor of Ekiti Local Government Area, a region bordering Ekiti and Kogi states that has increasingly come under pressure from armed criminal groups exploiting forested routes for kidnapping and other violent crimes. Security analysts have repeatedly identified the area’s difficult terrain and proximity to interstate boundaries as factors aiding criminal movements.

Officials said the operation reflects growing collaboration between conventional security agencies and community-based security outfits. In recent months, Kwara State has expanded the deployment of Forest Guards to complement the efforts of the DSS, police, military personnel, hunters and vigilantes in tackling insecurity across vulnerable communities.

Residents have welcomed the rescue, describing it as a morale boost for communities that have endured repeated incidents of abduction. Community leaders urged security agencies to sustain the ongoing clearance operations to prevent fleeing bandits from regrouping in nearby forests.

Authorities have also appealed to residents to continue providing timely and credible intelligence capable of preventing attacks before they occur. Security officials stressed that community cooperation remains one of the most effective tools in disrupting kidnapping networks operating within the North-Central region.

The latest operation comes amid intensified efforts by security agencies to dismantle armed gangs operating across Kwara and neighbouring states. Investigations and follow-up operations are continuing as authorities seek to apprehend the fleeing suspects and strengthen security along the state’s border communities.