Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have successfully rescued two kidnap victims in Gborgbor Village, Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The victims, both staff members of Unity Bank, were identified as Marwan Abubakar, 40, and Leng’en Cakop, 37.
They were reportedly abducted in Zaki-Biam, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
The rescue followed actionable intelligence indicating the presence of terrorists and their captives in the area. The acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, OPWS troops conducted an aggressive search and rescue mission aimed at locating the terrorists and safely recovering the victims.
“Troops thoroughly searched suspected houses and locations within Gborgbor Village but initially found nothing unusual. Further intelligence indicated the kidnappers and their victims remained in the area,” the statement partly read.
Additional troops, led by the Sub-Sector Commander, were subsequently deployed to reinforce the search operation.
The statement added that the operation extended to nearby settlements, including Tse Anaka, increasing pressure on the kidnappers.
“The terrorists were forced to abandon their captives and flee. The victims were safely recovered, and a motorcycle suspected to have been used by the criminals was recovered along the route to Tse Anaka Village,” Zubairu said.
The Force Commander of OPWS, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their professionalism and swift response, noting that the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led strategies in tackling kidnapping and other criminal activities.
Gara also reassured residents of Taraba and neighbouring states of the Joint Task Force’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property.
He urged members of the public to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could help dismantle criminal networks operating in the region.