Police rescue Catholic priest, seven others in Benue

The police in Benue State have rescued a Catholic priest and seven other kidnap victims, while arresting two suspects in connection with their abduction.

The victims, including Rev. Fr. John Otache of the Otukpo Diocese, were kidnapped last Tuesday while returning from a village market along the Ugbokolo–Ajegbe–Awume Road, near Ipiga Village in Ohimini Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Peter Aondongu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

He said police operatives, working with personnel of the Police Mobile Force and the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, launched a coordinated rescue operation after receiving a report of the abduction.

According to Aondongu, two of the victims were rescued on October 16, while the remaining six were freed on October 18.

The police also arrested two suspects, identified as Echefu Emmanuel and Obonyilor Emmanuel, during the operations.

Aondongu said the rescued victims had been taken to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, for medical examinations and necessary treatment.

He added that the suspects were assisting the police with their investigation, while efforts had been intensified to track down other fleeing members of the suspected criminal gang.

The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Cletus C. N. Nwadiogbu, commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force for their support in combating violent crime in the state.

Nwadiogbu also praised the operatives for their prompt response, professionalism and commitment to protecting lives and property.

The command reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led operations and urged residents to provide credible information to security agencies and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.