…“Troops conducted thorough searches of suspected houses and locations within Gborgbor Village
BENUE, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Troops of the Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke have rescued two kidnap victims in Gborgbor Village, Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The victims, both employees of Unity Bank, were identified as Marwan Abubakar, 40, and Leng’en Cakop, 37.
They were reportedly abducted in Zaki-Biam, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
The acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the rescue followed credible intelligence indicating the presence of terrorists and their captives in the area.
“Acting on the intelligence, OPWS troops launched an intensive search-and-rescue operation aimed at locating the terrorists and safely recovering the victims.
“Troops conducted thorough searches of suspected houses and locations within Gborgbor Village but initially found nothing suspicious. However, further intelligence suggested the kidnappers and their victims were still within the area,” the statement read in part.
Additional troops, led by the Sub-Sector Commander, were later deployed to reinforce the operation.
The search was subsequently extended to nearby settlements, including Tse Anaka, increasing pressure on the kidnappers.
“As a result, the terrorists abandoned their captives and fled. The victims were safely rescued, while a motorcycle suspected to have been used by the criminals was recovered along the route to Tse Anaka Village,” Zubairu said.
The Force Commander of OPWS, Maj. Gen. Moses Gara, commended the troops for their professionalism and swift response, noting that the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-driven strategies in tackling kidnapping and other terrorist activities.
Gara also reassured residents of Taraba and neighbouring states of the Joint Task Force’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property.
He urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies by providing timely and credible information to help dismantle criminal networks operating in the region.
