The Benue Police Command has rescued eight kidnapped victims during a gun battle with suspected kidnappers at Amla Forest in Ohimini Local Government Area.
The Commissioner of Police (CP), Cletus Nwadiogbu, made the disclosure on Friday at a press conference in Makurdi, saying the operation took place at about 6:30 a.m.
Nwadiogbu said armed men had intercepted a commercial bus on the Ankpenchi-Ogobia axis at about 11 p.m. on Sept. 13 and abducted 13 persons.
He said police operatives rescued four victims shortly after the incident, while nine others remained in captivity.
According to him, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) and other tactical teams, who had been conducting search and rescue operations since Sept. 14, stormed the kidnappers’ camp following credible intelligence.
He said the operation resulted in an exchange of gunfire, during which eight of the remaining victims were rescued.
“Unfortunately, it was gathered from the victims that one of them, who sustained fatal injuries from the kidnappers during the attack, died in another area of the forest,” he said.
The commissioner said the rescued victims were safe and receiving necessary attention, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend fleeing members of the syndicate and recover the corpse of the deceased.
He told members of the public to avoid night journeys, particularly journeys likely to extend towards midnight, citing the security risks associated with travelling at such hours.
He advised travellers whose vehicles break down during journeys to seek accommodation in nearby towns and continue their trips the following morning.
“Let us discourage people from embarking on night journeys. The environment is no longer safe,” he said.
Nwadiogbu explained that kidnappers often exploit the vulnerability of travellers at night, adding that police operations prioritised rescuing victims alive.
He also disclosed that police operatives attached to the Otukpo Area Command arrested a suspect, Sunday Oguche, during a stop-and-search operation on Sept. 11.
Nwadiogbu said one locally fabricated pistol was recovered from the suspect, adding that investigation was ongoing to establish its source and his possible links to other criminal activities.
The commissioner said the command had also made progress in investigating the Aug. 30 mob attack at Adagi, along the Jato-Aka-Adikpo Road in Kwande Local Government Area.
He said the incident occurred following a fatal motor accident, after which the mob attacked police officers who were passengers in the vehicle.
According to him, the mob vandalised and destroyed a Toyota Hilux vehicle, damaged the roof of the police station and carted away mobile phones and other personal belongings.
Nwadiogbu said a senior police officer sustained serious injuries and remained hospitalised in a coma, while the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kwande, who led a team to rescue the accident victims, sustained multiple machete cuts.
He disclosed that 17 suspects had been arrested in connection with the mob attack, adding that they and the recovered exhibits had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi.
The CP also acknowledged the sacrifices of police personnel deployed against bandits, saying four officers had recently been killed while defending a community.
He explained that seven civilians, including three children and four adults, also lost their lives in the attack despite efforts to remove civilians from the frontline.
Nwadiogbu stated that additional personnel later came under attack after returning from the area to obtain food and other supplies, resulting in further casualties.
He said the command remained motivated by the support and encouragement of President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police and Gov. Hyacinth Alia to continue its security operations across Benue.
