Security
Benue: OPWS Troops Rescue Two Kidnap Victims Along Naka–Ahume Road
From Dooshima Terkura Makurdi
Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued two victims during a fighting patrol along the Naka–Ahume Road in Benue State.
The Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters JTF OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Makurdi, saying the incident occurred on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
According to the statement, the troops encountered armed suspected kidnappers who were attempting to abduct motorists and other road users along the route.
He said the troops engaged the suspects in a gun battle, forcing them to abandon their captives and flee the scene.
The statement added that the troops pursued the fleeing suspects but made no further contact with them.
One of the rescued victims, Mrs Mngunengen Ihom, 36, from Ahume, reportedly sustained machete wounds during the incident and was evacuated to Naka General Hospital for medical attention.
The Force Commander, Joint Task Force OPWS, and General Officer Commanding, 5 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops and charged them to sustain aggressive, intelligence-led operations against armed groups threatening the safety of residents within the Joint Operations Area.
Gara also urged personnel to strengthen human intelligence gathering to enhance early warning and improve responses to security threats.
He reassured residents of the Task Force’s commitment to restoring peace and security in the area, while urging members of the public to provide credible and timely information to security agencies to support ongoing operations.