Pecohub Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke have foiled a kidnapping attempt on the Otukpo–Enugu expressway in Benue state on Monday.
A statement on Wednesday by Ahmad Zubairu, acting media information officer, said troops on routine patrol responded to a distress call reporting suspicious movements around the Amoda axis of Ohimini LGA.
On arrival, the troops encountered armed men who had reportedly emerged from nearby bush paths and temporarily taken control of a checkpoint along the highway.
The attackers had stopped two 18-seater commercial buses conveying passengers from Jos, Plateau, to Ibadan, Oyo “and attempted to abduct all passengers”.
“However, the timely intervention of troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE led to a firefight that compelled the kidnappers to abandon their victims and flee into the bush,” the statement reads.
“In the initial encounter, 15 passengers were rescued and handed over to Nigerian Police Division, Otukpo, while six adults and four minors were declared missing, however, subsequent operations led to the rescue of additional five adults and all four minors now in custody of the Police Area Command, Otukpo.”
Zubairu said search efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining missing passenger.
Reacting to the development, Moses Gara, the force commander, commended the troops for their swift response and operational professionalism.
He reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to the protection of lives and property within its area of responsibility, which spans Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba.
He added that sustained offensive operations, intelligence-driven patrols and inter-agency collaboration would be maintained to curb criminal activities.
