Benue youths rescue kidnap victims, arrest suspects

Vigilant youths in the Ugbokolo community of Okpokwu Local Government Area, Benue State, have successfully thwarted an attempted kidnapping of travelers along the Ugbokolo/Aokpe road. The swift action led to the apprehension of three suspects linked to the incident.

According to a local resident, the youths mobilized after several individuals were abducted by armed men on Wednesday night. They launched a search operation, tracking down the suspects and managing to rescue five victims. During the operation, three alleged kidnappers were arrested, although one managed to escape.

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Several persons were abducted by armed men on the road on Wednesday night, a development which prompted local youths to mobilise and launched a search operation in the area.

The rescued victims have since been reunited with their families. The arrested suspects have been handed over to security agencies for further investigation. However, the Chairman of the local government, Adah Inalegwu, confirmed the rescue of kidnap victims on Wednesday night but noted that the confirmation of the three individuals arrested on Thursday as kidnappers is still pending.

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The youths however tracked down the suspects, leading to the rescue of five victims and the arrest of three of the alleged kidnappers while one escaped.

"It's true that some people were kidnapped yesterday (Wednesday night) on Aokpe road, and our vigilant youths quickly mobilised themselves and went after the kidnappers," Inalegwu stated. "When the heat was too much on the kidnappers they abandoned their victims and ran away, and the victims were successfully rescued yesterday (Wednesday) night. Today (Thursday) the community also saw three strangers and they presumed they were kidnappers but we are yet to get the full story whether they are Kidnappers or not."

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, stated that she had not received any official report regarding the incident at the time of filing this report.

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It's true that some people were kidnapped yesterday (Wednesday night) on Aokpe road, and our vigilant youths quickly mobilised themselves and went after the kidnappers. When the heat was too much on the kidnappers they abandoned their victims and ran away, and the victims were successfully rescued yesterday (Wednesday) night. Today (Thursday) the community also saw three strangers and they presumed they were kidnappers but we are yet to get the full story whether they are Kidnappers or not.