The Benue State Police Command has arrested four persons in connection with the abduction of nine worshippers during a night vigil in Ojije, Utonkon, Ado Local Government Area of the state.
The victims were kidnapped in the early hours of Sunday, February 15, at St. John Catholic Church but were later rescued unhurt following coordinated security operations.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, said operatives of the Ado Division, acting on credible intelligence, arrested two suspects, Abubakar Jibril and Ashiru Ibrahim, on February 11 in connection with the incident.
Edet said the suspects were found in possession of five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and were subsequently handed over to the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team for further investigation.
She disclosed that further operations by the IRT, in collaboration with tactical teams of the command, led to a raid on the hideout of one of the suspects on February 14.
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According to her, the operation resulted in the recovery of one AK-47 rifle and eight rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, as well as the arrest of two additional suspects believed to be key members of the kidnapping syndicate.
“Investigations so far have clearly established that the arrested suspects are directly linked to the abduction that occurred during the night vigil,” the statement said.
Edet noted that sustained pressure mounted through coordinated search-and-rescue operations across the Ado axis and adjoining communities led to the safe release of the victims.
She added that the Inspector General of Police had approved the deployment of the Police Air Wing for aerial surveillance and operations, alongside reinforcement of additional tactical teams to the state to strengthen security and deny criminal elements operational space.
The Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, commended the support and cooperation of the state government, the leadership of the Catholic Diocese, the Chairman of Ado Local Government Area, and sister security agencies, including the Nigerian Army and the Benue Civil Protection Guard.
Emenari said the unified approach contributed significantly to the successful rescue and reaffirmed the command’s resolve to eliminate kidnapping, banditry, cultism and other violent crimes in the state.