Nigerian Army troops killed three suspected kidnappers in Sasaro Forest, in the Akoko-Edo area of Edo State, and freed the man the gang had been holding. The army described the action as a joint operation carried out in difficult forest terrain. During the engagement the three suspects were shot dead and the abducted man was rescued from captivity. Security forces have concentrated on Edo's forest belts in recent months as kidnapping for ransom keeps troubling the state. Akoko-Edo, with its rocky hills and thick woodland, features regularly in reports of such camps. The rescued victim has been moved to safety for medical checks and questioning. Troops in the area continue their patrols, and residents have been urged to report unfamiliar camps and movements in the forest.