Catholic priest, 7 other kidnapped victims rescued in Benue

A Catholic priest who was kidnapped last week and seven other victims have been rescued by the Police in Ohimini Local Government Council of the State.

Confirmed the development, the Police Spokesman for Benue State Police Command, DSP Peter Aondongu said officers rescued two victims on October 16 and the remaining six on October 18, then took them for medical care.

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He also revealed that two kidnap suspects were arrested and have been in Police custody for investigation.

The Police revealed identities of the suspects as Echefu Emmanuel and Obonyilor Emmanuel, saying they were assisting the police in the investigation to track the other fleeing suspects.

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The Police Command in a statement on Monday by its PPRO disclosed that operatives embarked on rescue operation in Ohimini Local Government Council to free the victims.

The Spokesman said seven other victims apart from the Catholic priest were abducted by the armed men while returning from a village market along the Ugbokolo–Ajegbe–Awume Road, before Ipiga village in Ohimini LGA, on October 13.

He said the victims were rescued in two batches with the first batch rescued on
on October 16, while the remaining six were rescued on Sunday, October 18.

After rescue, he said, the victims were moved to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, for medical checks and treatment.

The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, commended the officers for their courage in the swift response that yielded results.

Nwadiogbu also acknowledged the support of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force.

The police commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to using intelligence-led operations to tackle kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.

He urged residents to provide timely and reliable information about suspicious movements and activities to help security operatives prevent further attacks and arrest criminal suspects.

The command said efforts were continuing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

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