Twelve kidnapped travelers who were abducted in Benue State en route from Imo to Adamawa State have been rescued by Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS).
Force Commander, Maj-Gen. Igbinomwanhia Sunday Igbinomwanhia, in a statement made available to journalists on Friday in Makurdi, said that in the latest operation, 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.
Maj-Gen. Igbinomwanhia explained that the troops under his watch will continue to intensify their onslaught against bandits, terrorists, and other criminals in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba states.
He stated that the perpetrators took advantage of the abandoned Federal Police Highway checkpoint to carry out their criminal act, noting that on sighting the aggressive troops of OPWS with superior firepower, the kidnappers fled leaving behind their victims.
The statement reads in part: “An 18-seater bus belonging to Taraba Express International with Serial Number 212 and Registration Number GKA-371XA Taraba State was recovered from the kidnappers’ den and towed to the troop’s location.
“The rescued victims are Mr Sule Abu, 55; Mrs. Ashie Shuaibu, 26; Master Suleiman Abdullahi, 3; Mrs. Zainab Salau, 35; Mr. Muritala Yussuf, 22; Mrs Zainab Saidu, 45; Mr. Hammed Mamud, 51; Mr. Usman Ali, 27; Mr. Nura Abubakar, 24, Mr. Mohammed Aliyu, 20; Mrs Felicia Asusis, 29; and Mr. Jacob Nathaniel, 22,” he stated.
Maj-Gen. Igbinomwanhia while assuring the general public of the safety of their lives and property, reiterated that OPWS would continue to collaborate with other security agencies in making Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba states safe from any form of criminal activities.
