Nigerian Army Frees Kidnapped Lieutenant Colonel, Civilian in Enugu

The Nigerian Army has rescued a senior military officer, Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Mr. Ikechukwu Onwuanra, who were abducted in Enugu State.

The rescue followed a 10 day coordinated search and rescue operation by security forces operating under Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA.

According to a military report, the victims were found in the early hours of Friday after continuous operations forced their captors to abandon them.

The operation involved troops from the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion (Reinforced), the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service and the 197 Special Forces Battalion.

Security personnel carried out extensive search operations across forests and surrounding communities in Oji River Local Government Area before acting on intelligence that led them to the victims.

The Army said the officer and the civilian were discovered at the edge of a forest in Inyi after information was received from the Divisional Police Officer of Inyi Division.

Both victims suffered gunshot wounds and were immediately evacuated to the 82 Division Medical Hospital, where they are receiving medical treatment.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the victims were blindfolded, moved to an undisclosed location and later abandoned in a forest near the Enugu Anambra boundary.

The military said sustained pressure from the joint security team limited the kidnappers’ movement and ultimately led to the successful rescue. It added that more details of the operation would be released later.