Troops arrest suspected kidnapper, rescue one victim in Benue, Nasarawa

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, have arrested a suspected kidnapper and also rescued a kidnapped victim in separate operations in Nasarawa and Benue States.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the acting Media Information Officer of the OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu.

Lt Zubairu said that troops of Sector 2 of Operation Whirl Stroke arrested a suspected kidnapper identified as Adamu Lamu at Agyaragu in Nasarawa.

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He said in the statement that the arrest followed a remarkable escape by one of the victims of the kidnapping syndicate, identified as Mr Nehemiah Elisha, aged 31.

The statement added that the preliminary information volunteered by Mr Elisha revealed that after he escaped from his abductors, he later sighted one of the suspected kidnappers at a market in Agyaragu.

The statement read in part, “He (Elisha) immediately alerted troops deployed in the area, who swiftly responded and apprehended the suspect.”

The acting Media Information Officer added that the arrested suspect had been handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation and necessary legal action.

Also, the second incident happened on September, 6, 2026, at about 10:07 am, when troops of COAS Intervention Battalion XI, deployed at Torkula, rescued a kidnapped victim, identified as Mr Vincent Nyado, along the Umene–Torkula Road.

According to Zubairu, the victim was found tied and abandoned by the roadside.

“Preliminary information revealed that suspected terrorists had allegedly abducted him. On sighting the approaching troops, the suspects reportedly fled into the surrounding bushes, abandoning their victim.

“The rescued victim was subsequently secured by the troops, while efforts are ongoing to obtain further information and identify the fleeing suspects,” the statement added.

While assuring the troops’ resolve in their mandate to stem the rising tide of violence across their area of operations, Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba, the information officer said that the troops have been charged to maintain the momentum of ongoing intelligence-led operations, remain vigilant and sustain close cooperation with relevant security agencies and local communities.

He also encouraged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies, promising that their cooperation remains critical to defeating criminal elements and creating a safer environment for the citizens.