A police inspector, John Ngbede, had narrated how he spent 48 day s in the hands of kidnappers who refused to release him despite collecting N3.5 million and still refused to release him.
His release came after troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), during an operation rescued two serving Police Inspectors and nine other kidnapped victims from their abductors in Benue.
The Force Commander OPWS, Major General Moses Gara, disclosed this on Monday in Makurdi.
He also stated that two suspects were arrested during the operations and were being questioned.
The troops commander said the 11 victims were rescued at Tse-Ahur and Chito areas in Ukum Local Government Area (LGA).
Gara said the rescued victims; four females and seven males were profiled and given medical attention and would be reunited with their families soon.
He said the high-impact operation was carried out simultaneously at Tse-Ahur and Chito areas of Ukum LGA of Benue state with Sector 3 providing a strategic blocking position in Gindin Mangoro, Wukari LGA of Taraba to interdict fleeing insurgents.
According to him, the troops recovered four FN rifles, three G3 rifles, four AK-47 rifles, one PKT machine gun, one locally fabricated dane gun, fifteen AK-47 magazines, three FN rifle magazines, thirty-one rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition.
He said they also recovered 184 rounds of 7.62mm x 54 ammunition, one pistol magazine, five smoke discharge canisters and several charms.
The Force Commander said preliminary investigation revealed that one of the arrested suspect was in charge of their armory while the other was the victims security guard.
Gara explained that following consistent news about abduction of people in Sankara axis of the state(Kastina-Ala, Ukum and Logo LGs) they carried out the operation in the area to flush them out.
He said the operation which was carried out on 2 and 3 August was headed by Commander Sector 1, Col Kolawole Bukoye and supported by the Air Component of the OPWS targeting the Benue and neighbouring Taraba State.
Gara commended the Chief of Defense Staff and other Service Chiefs for their continued support and for deploying more personnel for the operation.
He assured that troops would maintain operational pressure, dominate the battle space, and restore peace and security to Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa States.
Speaking to journalists, Insector John Ngbede, a rescued Police personnel attached to Numan Divisional Police Station in Adamawa Command said he was held captive for 48 days.
“On 16th June while I was on my way to my station between Zaki Biam and Wukari about 6:15pm, we ran into people in military uniforms.
“They stopped us and took us to unknown destination. Today I’m 48 days in their custody. They collected N3.5m from me but I don’t know what they collect from others. They collected the money but refused to release me, ” he said
Also Inspector Odah Patrick of River State Command stated that he was granted leave to sick medical care only to be kidnapped on 14th July while coming through Abakaliki into Benue.
He said the criminals collected N3m from him but refused to release him adding that he spend 16 days in their custody before the OPWS intervention.
