Police foil kidnap attempt, rescue four victims in Nasarawa

Operatives of the Nasarawa State Police Command have foiled a kidnapping attempt along the Akwanga–Jos Road, rescuing four abducted victims after a gun battle with suspected kidnappers in Akwanga Local Government Area.

The operation took place at about 9:40 p.m on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, following a distress call reporting the activities of suspected kidnappers around Megona Filling Station in Andaha.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Ramhan Nansel, officers attached to the Andaha Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, responded swiftly to the emergency report and moved to the scene.

On sighting the approaching security operatives, the armed suspects opened fire, prompting an exchange of gunfire.

The police, however, overpowered the attackers, forcing them to flee into the surrounding bush with suspected gunshot injuries while abandoning their captives.

The four victims were rescued unharmed during the operation.

Nansel stated that Police also recovered several provisions believed to have been stolen from a nearby provision store. The recovered items have been taken into police custody as investigations continue.

Reacting to the successful operation, the Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed, praised the officers for their courage and prompt response, describing the rescue as another demonstration of the Command’s resolve to safeguard lives and property across the state.

The police commissioner has ordered an intensive manhunt for the fleeing suspects, directing that all operational and intelligence resources be deployed to ensure their arrest and prosecution.

Nansel added that the ongoing search operation is being carried out in collaboration with military personnel, local vigilante groups, and hunters, who have launched coordinated bush-combing operations in an effort to track down the suspects.

The Nasarawa State Police Command also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support efforts aimed at tackling crime and improving public safety across the state.