Police rescue eight kidnap victims, arrest two suspects

The Benue State Police Command says it has rescued eight kidnapped victims and arrested two suspects following an abduction along the Ugbokolo-Ajegbe-Awume Road in Ohimini Local Government Area.

The victims were abducted on Tuesday, 13 October, at about 8:15 p.m. by armed men who intercepted a group of people returning from a village market before Ipiga village, the police said in a statement on Monday.

The statement, signed by the police spokesperson, Peter Aondongu, said two victims were rescued on 16 October and six others on 18 October.

The victims were taken to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, for medical examinations and treatment.

The police said officers from the command, the Police Mobile Force, and the Benue State Civil Protection Guards were involved.

The statement said officers arrested two suspects, identified as Echefu Emmanuel and Obonyilor Emmanuel, during the operation, who are assisting with investigations.

The police said efforts were ongoing to arrest other members of the suspected gang.

The Commissioner of Police in Benue, Cletus Nwadiogbu, commended the officers involved and said the command would sustain intelligence-led operations against kidnapping and other violent crimes.

He also urged residents to provide security agencies with credible information and report suspicious activities.

Catholic priest among abductees

The police announcement follows the kidnapping of John Otache, the priest in charge of St Margaret’s Parish, Ajegbe-Awume, in Ohimini LGA.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo confirmed the priest’s abduction on 13 October while he was returning from Otukpo.

The police spokesperson, Mr Aondongu, had confirmed the incident, saying efforts were underway to rescue the priest.

In a statement, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, appealed to Christians and other people of goodwill to pray for the priest’s safe release.

The latest police statement did not identify the eight rescued victims or confirm whether Father Otache was among them. His status therefore remains unclear from the information provided by the command.

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Police deny withdrawal of officers from Ayilamo

The rescue announcement also comes days after the police command dismissed reports that Mobile Police personnel had withdrawn from Ayilamo in Logo LGA, another area affected by insecurity.

In a statement dated 16 October, the command described the report as false and said Mobile Police personnel, the divisional police team and other tactical units remained in the community.

The report claimed the officers left with their belongings, including an armoured personnel carrier, raising residents’ concerns about security in the area.

Mr Nwadiogbu urged residents to remain calm and verify information before sharing it, warning against circulating unconfirmed reports that could cause panic.

The command said security personnel remained deployed in Ayilamo to protect lives and property.

The police have urged residents across Benue to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that could assist operations against criminal groups.