Troops rescue abducted retired Army Colonel in Plateau

Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued a retired senior officer, Col. Ajanaku (rtd), who was abducted by suspected gunmen from his home in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Military sources said the retired officer was taken from his residence opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road at about 12:45 a.m. on January 5.

Immediately after the abduction, troops and other security operatives were mobilised to track the kidnappers.

The forces reportedly followed the trail of the assailants through the Wildlife Park, intensifying search-and-rescue operations around caves and rocky terrains believed to be criminal hideouts.

According to the sources, the kidnappers later reached out to the victim’s wife, demanding a ransom of N200 million and issuing threats to kill the retired officer if security operations were not halted.

Despite the threats, security forces were said to have employed covert strategies, which eventually led to the safe rescue of Col. Ajanaku at about 5:30 p.m. on the same day at the outskirts of the Rafiki axis in Bassa LGA.

The rescued officer has since been taken to a military medical facility for medical assessment and is expected to undergo debriefing to provide intelligence that could support subsequent operations.

Meanwhile, troops have sustained clearance operations in nearby forests and rugged areas as efforts continue to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects behind the abduction.