Kamsi Anayo and Fidelia Soriwei
Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued a senior Army officer, Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Mr Ikechukwu Onwuanra, following a 10-day search-and-rescue operation in Enugu State.
According to a military operational report made available in Abuja on Saturday, the victims were freed in the early hours of Friday after sustained military pressure forced their abductors to abandon them.
The operation was carried out by troops of Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA, comprising personnel of the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion (Reinforced), the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service and the 197 Special Forces Battalion.
The report stated that the troops received intelligence from the Divisional Police Officer of Inyi Division around 2 a.m. on Friday regarding the victims’ location.
Acting on the information, the troops launched a fighting patrol and found the victims abandoned at the edge of a forest in Inyi community.
Military authorities said both men had sustained gunshot wounds and were immediately evacuated to the 82 Division Medical Hospital for treatment and medical evaluation.
As part of the operation, troops led by the Commander of the 82 Division Garrison had conducted extensive searches across the forests and communities of Inyi, Awlaw and Akpugo-Eze in Oji River Local Government Area.
Preliminary findings indicated that the victims were blindfolded by their captors, moved to an undisclosed location and later abandoned in a forest along the Enugu-Anambra border.
“The victims attributed their rescue to the sustained pressure mounted by the joint troops, which denied the kidnappers freedom of movement and compelled them to abandon their captives,” the report stated.
The military said further details of the operation would be released in due course.
