Troops of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) have successfully rescued a retired senior officer of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Ajanaku (Rtd), who was abducted by suspected kidnappers in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Colonel Ajanaku was kidnapped in the early hours of Monday, 5 January 2026, at about 12:45 a.m. from his residence opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road in Bassa LGA. Following the incident, troops of Sectors 1 and 3 under Operation Enduring Peace were immediately mobilised after receiving a distress call and began trailing the abductors along their suspected withdrawal route through the Wildlife Park.
The search and rescue operation was intensified with the support of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Tracking Team and local vigilantes, as troops combed caves, rocky high grounds, and other suspected criminal hideouts within the area.
Later that day, at about 2:00 p.m., the kidnappers reportedly contacted the wife of the retired officer, demanding a ransom of ₦200 million. They also threatened to kill the victim if military search operations were not halted.
In response, troops tactically switched to covert operations to avoid endangering the life of the abducted officer. This approach paid off as Colonel Ajanaku was successfully rescued at about 5:30 p.m. on the same day at the outskirts of the Rafiki axis of Bassa LGA, without the payment of any ransom.
The rescued officer has since been taken to the Operation Enduring Peace Medical Centre, where he is undergoing medical examination and is said to be in stable condition. He is also expected to be debriefed to provide intelligence that will support ongoing follow-up operations.
Meanwhile, troops of Operation Enduring Peace have continued aggressive combing operations in the surrounding forests to track down the fleeing kidnappers and dismantle their criminal network.
The Nigerian Army has reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of lives and property, assuring the public that it will continue to deny criminal elements freedom of action across the Joint Operations Area.
