The Benue State Police Command said it has rescued four kidnap victims following a gun battle with abductors along Orokam–Owukpa road in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement by a security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, on Friday, a patrol team from Orokam Division on Thursday, received a distress call that some kidnapped persons were sighted in the forest near River Enumabia bank.
The statement revealed that the Divisional Police Officer mobilised tactical teams for a search-and-rescue operation, which led to the successful rescue of the victims after an exchange of fire with the kidnappers.
The rescued victims were identified as Ogbonna Ifeanyi and Abubu Ogochukwu, both of Enugu Ezike, as well as Caleb Mbah, a pharmacy operator from Ohebe Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, and Ruth Chinemere, also of the same address.
Mbah was abducted from his pharmacy shop on Sept. 20 and taken to the kidnappers’ hideout.
On Sept. 25, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N5 million. Ogbonna and Abubu, who went to deliver the ransom, were also abducted and held alongside the other victims.
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He said the police were alerted by a villager who noticed suspicious movement in the bush, leading to the operation.
The kidnappers escaped with gunshot wounds, abandoning the victims, while a manhunt had been launched in the surrounding forest to arrest the suspects.
The police said the rescued victims were taken to Orokam General Hospital for first aid and would be reunited with their families after debriefing.