Army rescues kidnapped lieutenant colonel, civilian in Enugu after 10-day search

Nigerian Army troops have successfully rescued a kidnapped senior military officer, Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Ikechukwu Onwuanra, after a 10-day joint search-and-rescue operation in Enugu State. The operation concluded in the early hours of Friday, with the victims found abandoned at the edge of a forest.

The rescue followed sustained pressure mounted by troops of Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA, which includes personnel from the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion, the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, and the 197 Special Forces Battalion. Intensive searches were conducted across forests and communities in the Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Intelligence from the Divisional Police Officer of Inyi Division at approximately 2:00 a.m. on Friday led the troops to the victims' location. Both Lt. Col. Amobi and Mr. Onwuanra had sustained gunshot wounds and were immediately evacuated to the 82 Division Medical Hospital for treatment and evaluation.

Preliminary interrogations revealed that the victims had been blindfolded and transported to an unknown location before being abandoned. They attributed their rescue to the constant pressure from the joint troops, which prevented the kidnappers from moving them freely and ultimately led to their abandonment. Further details regarding the operation are expected.

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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.