Police Rescue 13 Kidnap Victims in Benue State

The Benue State Police Command successfully rescued thirteen passengers who had been kidnapped along the Otukpo–Adoka Road on August 14, 2026, while traveling from Enugu to Abuja. The rescue operation took place at approximately 2:00 AM on Thursday in the Amla-Cho Forest, following five days of extensive search efforts.

According to a statement from police spokesperson Orchia Peter Aondongu, the police acted on credible intelligence and confronted the kidnappers during a night operation, which led to the suspects fleeing. A gun battle on August 16 resulted in the neutralization of one suspect and the recovery of an AK-47 rifle with five rounds of ammunition.

Initially, nine victims were reported missing, but further verification revealed that four additional passengers were unaccounted for, bringing the total rescued to thirteen. The rescued individuals were taken to a medical facility for treatment before being transported to their destinations in a chartered bus.

Commissioner of Police CP Cletus C.N. Nwadiogbu praised the police personnel for their bravery and urged transport operators to maintain accurate passenger manifests.