Soldiers rescue nine abducted passengers in Benue

• Major General Sunday Igbinowanhia, the Force Commander, shared this accomplishment during a conversation with journalists in Makurdi on Thursday
  

  ---

Operation Whirl Stroke successfully liberated nine kidnap victims from Owukpa forest in Ogbadibo Local Government Area, Benue State.

These individuals had been taken captive in a commercial vehicle on the Otukpa/Enugu Highway on January 11, 2024. Major General Sunday Igbinowanhia, the Force Commander, shared this accomplishment during a conversation with journalists in Makurdi on Thursday.

The operation was conducted collaboratively with the Nigeria Police Force and the Benue State Community Volunteer Guard.

He said, “On January 16, 2024, troops of Section 6 Operation Whirl Stroke in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force and the Benue State Community Volunteer Guard acting on credible intelligence, stormed the hideout of suspected kidnappers at Owukpa Forest in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.

“The operation was premised on the kidnap of passengers transiting in a commercial bus along Otukpa – Enugu Road on January 11, 2024.

“Nine passengers, comprising of eight females and one male passenger were rescued from the suspected kidnappers”.

The rescued kidnap victims were later released to proceed to their respective destinations.

Items recovered at the scene include one AK 47 Rifle and 10 mobile phones.

While appreciating the locals for providing the information that led to the discovery of the hideout of the kidnappers and the subsequent rescue of the victims, the commander urged the people in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba states to continue to make use of the emergency numbers provided by the command to provide credible information to OPWS.