Two abducted soldiers and four civilians have been rescued by troops of the Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta, code-named Operation Delta Safe".
Human skulls and bones were reportedly recovered during the raid of the kidnappers’ camp in Rivers state, the troops said.
The Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, OPDS, Major Ibrahim Abdullahi, said in a statement that their operation followed a report of kidnap of two soldiers.
The soldiers were said to have been kidnapped while on transit for banking services in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of Rivers.
The spokesman said when the suspected militants and cultists sighted troops approaching their den, they engaged the troops in a gun battle.
"On September 18, 2017, about 7:30 am, OPDS headquarters received a report of kidnap of two soldiers while on transit for banking services in One LGA, Rivers State,” Abdullahi said.
"Troops were immediately mobilised, swung into action and discovered a militant camp with several shrines in a forest at Obiozimini community in Rivers State.
" On approaching there, the suspected kidnappers opened fire on the troops who subsequently engaged them with superior fire power, leading to casualties on the side of suspected kidnappers while others escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds into an adjoining forest.
"The operation successfully rescued the two abducted personnel. Further search of the camp site led to the rescue of four more civilians that were earlier kidnapped, including a lady.”