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.
The retired officer was kidnapped at about 12:45 a.m. on January 5, 2026, after armed men stormed his house opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road.
Following the incident, troops drawn from relevant military formations were immediately mobilised to track the abductors. The soldiers reportedly pursued 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, citing 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, which eventually led to a breakthrough.
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 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 suspected hideouts in pursuit of the fleeing suspects, as security operations in the area remain ongoing.
