Troops rescue two bank staff kidnapped in Benue

Troops of the Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have successfully rescued two kidnapped individuals in Gborgbor Village, located in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The victims, both employees of Unity Bank, were identified as Mr. Marwan Abubakar, 40, and Mr. Leng’en Cakop, 37. 

They were reportedly abducted in Zaki-Biam, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.

According to a communique released on Sunday by the acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, the rescue followed actionable intelligence about the presence of terrorists holding the victims in the area.

“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, OPWS troops conducted an aggressive search and rescue mission aimed at locating the terrorists and safely recovering the victims.

“Troops thoroughly searched suspected houses and locations within Gborgbor Village but initially found nothing unusual. Further intelligence indicated the kidnappers and their victims remained in the area,” the statement partly read.

Additional forces, under the leadership of the Sub-Sector Commander, were deployed to strengthen the search, which was expanded to nearby settlements including Tse Anaka, maintaining pressure on the kidnappers.

“The terrorists were forced to abandon their captives and flee. The victims were safely recovered, and a motorcycle suspected to have been used by the criminals was recovered along the route to Tse Anaka Village,” Zubairu added.

Maj. Gen. Moses Gara, the Force Commander of OPWS, praised the troops for their professionalism and rapid response, emphasizing the importance of intelligence-driven operations in tackling kidnapping and terrorism.

Gara reassured residents of Taraba and neighboring states that the Joint Task Force remains committed to safeguarding lives and property. 

He also urged the public to provide timely and credible information to help security agencies dismantle criminal networks in the region.