By Ayo Kehinde
Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have successfully rescued a retired senior officer of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Joseph Ajanaku (retd.), who was abducted by gunmen in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, the Nigerian Army confirmed that the rescue followed a highly coordinated search and rescue operation.
Colonel Ajanaku was kidnapped in the early hours of Monday, January 5, at approximately 12:45 a.m. from his residence located opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road in Bassa LGA.
Upon receiving the distress call, troops from Sectors 1 and 3 of Operation Enduring Peace, working alongside a Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) tracking team and local vigilantes, immediately pursued the abductors along their escape route through the Wildlife Park.
The search operation was intensified across caves and rocky high grounds suspected to be criminal hideouts.
By 2:00 p.m. on Monday, the kidnappers contacted the victim’s wife and demanded a ransom of ₦200 million.
Recognising the intense pressure from the pursuing military units, the abductors threatened to kill the retired officer if the search was not immediately halted.
“Consequently, troops tactically switched to covert operations, which culminated in the successful rescue of Colonel Ajanaku (Rtd) at about 1730 hours on 5 January 2026 at the outskirts of the Rafiki Axis, Bassa LGA, Plateau State, without any ransom payment,” the Army statement disclosed.
The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 3rd Division, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, confirmed that the rescued officer is currently undergoing medical examination at the Operation Enduring Peace Medical Centre and is in stable condition.
He will be debriefed to provide vital intelligence that will aid ongoing follow-up operations against the criminal network.
The Nigerian Army reiterated its vow to deny criminal elements freedom of action within the joint operations area and urged citizens to continue supporting security agencies with timely information.
