Army rescues abducted Lt-Col, civilian after 10-day search in Enugu

Nigerian Army troops have successfully rescued a kidnapped senior military officer, Lt.-Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Mr. Ikechukwu Onwuanra. The rescue followed a joint search-and-rescue operation that spanned 10 days in Enugu State.

The operation was conducted by troops from Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA, a collaborative effort involving personnel from the 82 Division Garrison, the 103 Battalion, the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, and the 197 Special Forces Battalion. The troops, under the command of the 82 Division Garrison Commander, carried out intensive searches across forests and communities in the Oji River Local Government Area.

Intelligence provided by the Divisional Police Officer of Inyi Division at approximately 2:00 a.m. on Friday led the troops to the victims' location. The soldiers launched an immediate patrol and found the victims abandoned at the edge of a forest in Inyi.

Both Lt.-Col. Amobi and Mr. Onwuanra had sustained gunshot wounds during their captivity. They were evacuated to the 82 Division Medical Hospital for treatment and medical evaluation. Preliminary interrogations suggested the victims had been blindfolded and moved to an unknown location before being abandoned near the Enugu-Anambra border. The rescued individuals credited their survival to the sustained pressure from the joint troops, which limited the kidnappers' movement and forced them to release their captives.

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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.