Benue: Police rescue 50-year-old kidnap victim in Zaki Biam

The police in Benue State have successfully rescued a 50-year-old kidnap victim from Tine Nine, Zaki Biam, located in the Ukum Local Government Area of the state.

SP Felix Nomiyugh, the Commander of Operation Zenda, a joint operation in the state, disclosed this to journalists in Makurdi on Tuesday. He explained that his team discovered the victim in a coma last Saturday after his abductors had abandoned him. The victim was promptly taken to the General Hospital in Zaki-Biam, where he received necessary medical attention.

Nomiyugh noted that since assuming office on November 1, 2023, his team has achieved significant milestones, particularly in securing the release of many abducted individuals.

Expressing his commitment to fostering a crime-free society, he pledged to intensify efforts and uphold a policy of discipline among the officers under his command.

He stated, “Last Saturday, at Tine Nine in Zaki Biam, the headquarters of Ukum LGA, our officers recovered a 50-year-old man who was a victim of kidnapping. He had been abandoned by his captors and was found in a coma.”

He continued, “Fortunately, he was promptly taken to the General Hospital in Zaki Biam, where he regained consciousness.”

Nomiyugh further mentioned the command’s ongoing efforts to sensitize and reorient their officers, emphasizing the importance of professionalism and proper conduct.

In a related development, the Benue State Police Command had previously rescued two traders abducted by gunmen in November. The traders were taken from a market in the Mchia community, located in the Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.

A family member of one of the abducted traders, who preferred anonymity, revealed that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N10 million. The incident was immediately reported at a police station in Ugba, the headquarters of the LGA.