₦airaland Forum

Nigerian Troops Rescue Abducted Colonel In Plateau As Bandits Demanded N200million Ransom


Nigerian Army troops have rescued a retired senior military officer, Colonel Ajanaku, who was abducted by gunmen from his residence in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

SaharaReporters learnt that the retired officer was kidnapped at about 12:45am on January 5, 2026, after armed men stormed his house opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road.

It was gathered that the troops drawn from relevant military sectors were immediately mobilised following the incident.

The soldiers reportedly trailed the kidnappers along their escape route through the Wildlife Park, while search-and-rescue operations were intensified around caves and rocky high grounds suspected to serve as criminal hideouts.

A security expert, Zagazola Makama, disclosed the development on Monday, quoting sources familiar with the operation.

According to him, the abductors later contacted the victim’s wife and demanded a ransom of N200 million, threatening to kill the retired officer if rescue efforts were not halted.

However, security forces were said to have switched to covert operations, a move that eventually paid off.

Colonel Ajanaku was successfully rescued at about 5:30 p.m. on the same day at the outskirts of the Rafiki axis in Bassa LGA, the sources said.

The rescued officer is currently undergoing medical checks at a military medical facility and is expected to be debriefed to provide intelligence that could aid follow-up operations against the kidnappers.

Meanwhile, troops have continued combing surrounding forests and hideouts in pursuit of the fleeing suspects, as security operations in the area remain ongoing.

SaharaReporters

SaharaReporters learnt that the retired officer was kidnapped at about 12:45am on January 5, 2026, after armed men stormed his house opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road.

eyahhh, kai, indeed, There was a country.

APC lead government Brought us to this point where evil has spread like wildfire all over the country bcus they wanted power at all cost and their hate for Christ lead to all these.....

Agbadorians are not sad enough at terr***sts killing citizens, but they immediately become sad when citizens rejoice over the removal of failed leadership allowing the atrocities to happen.

You begin to wonder if it’s sheer wickedness and heartlessness or perhaps they are profiting from extreme hardship and insecurity, or both.

A colonel in the Nigerian army is whisked away like a pack of sandwich? How much more BenueJ-Josh and I.

Why are they carrying a full grown man like a baby??

I know this family, I lived close to them at Rock Haven many years ago. Hmmm...terrorists!

Kaczynski:
Why are they carrying a full grown man like a baby??

No ambulance in One Nijeriya!

Highly commendable job from our guys..rescued the same day. No longer business as usual for terrorists in Nigeria.

Some funny comments above saying negative things..u guys are getting to where your cup is about to be full

givedemwotowoto:
Agbadorians are not sad enough at terr***sts killing citizens, but they immediately become sad when citizens rejoice over the removal of failed leadership allowing the atrocities to happen.

You begin to wonder if it’s sheer wickedness and heartlessness or perhaps they are profiting from extreme hardship and insecurity, or both.

Nigeria is not working out anymore, South , East, North and West.... nothing is working out.
The mentality of these 4 regions can never and will never be the same. It will never, we are just collateral damage of the British. Pitiful !!

Back to the post; I commend NA and urge them to put more efforts in restoring stability in Nigeria.
Na my sister husband I dey pity, to be a Nigerian soldier is just a gamble, they're being massacred on weekly basis low-key without the press briefing.

They don't always kill the kidnappers and that's a worry

Other criminal elements should be wary of doing same... that's how to end this menace

Kidnapping a conel, murderd brigadier general.. killing troops.. Trump help Nigeria

MAY ALLAH HAVE MERCY ON NIGERIA

chatinent:
A colonel in the Nigerian army is whisked away like a park of sandwich? How much more BenueJ-Josh and I.

A retired colonel.

See how quickly they rescued their own.

So what happened to the kidnappers?
I will like to see their corpses

To the uninitiated, Rukuba Bassa LGA is home to 3 Division Nigerian Army Maxwell Khobe Cantonment. So in simple terms these guys are getting bold with each passing day abducting a retired colonel from his home close to the barracks.

We've never had it this bad at all

chatinent:
A colonel in the Nigerian army is whisked away like a park of sandwich? How much more BenueJ-Josh and I.

Retired... read sir a retired colonel

Kudos to our gallant army forces

Na wah o, wild life park don become route for escape of terrorists. I remember my mom once showed us a leaked printed message she got from, I think one of her church friends, of an alleged plan by Islamist terrorists to take over Nigeria, Beggining from the North, spreading through Plateau and Benue. We were angry at her for believing and trying to spread unnecessary tension. That it can never happen in Nigeria. That was around 2009. I also remember the the first time I heard about anti- terrorism and anti-bomb squard on NTA news at 9 following the 911 attack on the twin towers . We equally laughed it off as a means by the government to siphon money, since bombing and terrorism was alien to the country then. We only had inter- religious conflicts occasionally up north. Then came the first bomb at eagle's square. Now, see how far we've gone. Mommy and the government were right. They have been planning this sh*t for long.

If for say. How come he is so fat. He hasn't stay there for a week sef. He is lucky

Kaczynski:
Why are they carrying a full grown man like a baby??

Inside a rocky mountain areas where bike can't even go. You get it now.

The rescuer could have been Harrison Gwamnishu.

The challenge is that, the colonel no get money to be zapped.

🤣🤣🤣

But wait o! Where are the kidnappers? Where are their weapons?

Nigeria my country.
Did you rescue him or you paid ransom for his release?
If you did not pay ransom, how many of the kidnappers were neutralized?

Chinjo2:
Nigeria my country.
Did you rescue him or you paid ransom for his release?
If you did not pay ransom, how many of the kidnappers were neutralized?

Go find the kidnappers inside bush and ask them

Or go to the Barracks and ask the soldiers face-to-face, man to man

Internet makes dogs feel they are lions

The picture with the rescued person being carried on the back reminds me of "police and thief" we played back in the day.

Baba Ajanaku, thank God you have retired from active military service in one piece. Go back to SW where you will be at peace with your family.

Those kidnappers have turned it I to big business, they kidnap their own people too, not to talk of a stranger like you in their land.

You escaped this time, no give them a second chance to do so, you may not escape from them again

A whole Colonel is not safe what is now the fate of average Nigerians

/
If the caves and rocky mountains are known or suspected to be kidnappers' hideout, what are they doing to eliminate the threat?

If I were a retired Colonel, use a makeshift stretcher carry me. They for give am lollipop too.

/

Suddenly Nigeria is working.
Rafiki axis in Bassa LGA is very close to the 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian ARMY. This is 2km radius distance. This is the second person rescued in the last one month.

According to him, the abductors later contacted the victim’s wife and demanded a ransom of N200 million, threatening to kill the retired officer if rescue efforts were not halted.
Hahahaha 😅😂🤣, fear don catch them, their father.


Lots of criminal activities have been going on in that area for yearssssssssss and nothing has been done.
The other rescue last month https://www.nairaland.com/8574951/soldiers-rescue-plateau-reverend-ephraim

Thank God Baba is safe. Glory be to God

Jaylord12:
APC lead government Brought us to this point where evil has spread like wildfire all over the country bcus they wanted power at all cost and their hate for Christ lead to all these.....

Funny you even in America i people get kidnapped.