According to the Nigerian Army, 12 victims who were abducted while traveling from Imo to Adamawa states have been freed by soldiers of Operation Whirl Stroke, or OPWS.
According to the army, the victims were saved on Wednesday at Jootar village, which is located in Benue State’s Ukum Local Government Area.
Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, the leader of Operation Whirl Stroke, claims that the kidnappers exploited a deserted Federal Police Highway post.
“On February 21, 2024, at Jootar village in Ukum LGA of Benue State, troops of Sector 1 OPWS conducted an operation in response to credible human intelligence regarding the activities of kidnappers. The victims were 12 kidnapped individuals who were being transported from Imo State to Adamawa State.
The kidnappers used an abandoned Federal Police Highway checkpoint, according to Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia, the commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, to their advantage. “In a recent operation, following credible human intelligence on the activities of kidnappers, troops of Sector 1 OPWS, on February 21, 2024, at Jootar village in Ukum LGA of Benue State, rescued 12 kidnapped victims who were in transit from Imo State to Adamawa State,” the Nigerian Army said.
“Kidnappers fled, leaving behind their victims, upon spotting the aggressive troops of OPWS with superior firepower,” the statement read.
According to Igbinomwanhia, an 18-seater Taraba Express International bus with the registration number GKA-371XA was found and towed to the troop’s location from the kidnapper’s cave.
Mr Sule Abu, 55, Mrs Ashie Shuaibu, 26, Mr Hammed Mamud, 51, Mr Usman Ali, 27, Mr Nura Abubakar, 24, Mr Mohammed Aliyu, 20, Mrs Felicia Asusi, 29, and Mr Jacob Nathaniel, 22 are among the rescued casualties. Master Suleiman Abdullahi, 3, Mrs Zainab Salau, 35, Mr Muritala Yussuf, 22, and Mrs Zainab Saidu, 45.