The 401 Special Forces Brigade of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with Sector One, has successfully rescued a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and six other individuals from kidnappers in Tse-Annaka, located along the Wukari/Zaki-Biam road in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
Among the rescued victims was Samuel Muekara, a 29-year-old law graduate.
Additionally, the operation led to the rescue of six other victims who were kidnapped at various times and dates within the same vicinity. These individuals include Anaelechi Bob (32), Ayuba Luka (28), Ibrahim Umar (30), Rabiu Muhammad (48), Buhari Ahmadu Saleh (17), and Blessing Ayuba (47).
He said the bandits belong to the gang of the notorious criminal kingpin in Benue, late Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana
“These notorious armed bandits are well known to the people living in those areas and any attempt to get information from them, they claim not to know, whereas they know them.
“The people must understand that security is a collective effort from all and sundry and therefore, the communities should be able to always volunteer necessary information to security agencies, especially our troops to help them fish out the perpetrators of crime among them,” he said.
Some of the rescued victims who spoke at the military camp in Zaki–Biam, Ukum local government area where they were taken to, said they were kidnapped and kept hostage for days before the intervention of the military troops.
“Some of us were taken to the neighbouring settlements like Chito village, Adamawa village, Atereyange village, Ututu village and Pevkyaa village all of Ukum local government area where these heavily armed bandits are using as their hideouts.
“These armed bandits have made kidnapping in these communities their major source of income and they do it in broad daylight without fear.
”They are living with their families who usually come to give us food in their hideouts. People living around there see them perpetrating these evils but they are helpless to voice it out for fear of their lives.
“One of us (victims) known as Rabiu Muhammad who came to pay ransom for his cousin Ibrahim Umar, became a kidnapped victim himself after he had paid the ransom”, one of the victims said.
Another victim, Blessing Ayuba, reported being kidnapped after she attempted to pay a ransom for her son, Luka Ayuba.
Meanwhile, the youth corps member who was rescued described the ordeal. He stated that after the families of seven victims collectively raised over N20 million to pay the ransom, which included other valuable items worth millions of naira, they remained in captivity until the military intervened and rescued them.
