Bangladesh, Jan. 15 -- Nigerian security forces have rescued more than 300 hostages and killed dozens of suspected militants during a series of coordinated operations in the central states of Kogi and Kwara, marking one of the most significant security successes in recent months amid the countrys worsening kidnapping and banditry crisis.

According to the Nigerian Police Force, a total of 309 hostages were freed during the operations, while at least 55 suspected terrorists were killed and 129 others arrested following intense clashes with security personnel. The operations, which followed months of intelligence gathering and inter-agency coordination, were carried out as part of a broader national effort to stem the tide of kidnappings an...