Benue: OPWS troops foil kidnapping attempt, rescue victims along Naka Road

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have foiled an ongoing kidnap and rescued two victims during a fighting patrol along the Naka–Ahume Road in Benue State.

A statement signed by the Acting Media Information Officer, HQ JTF OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, and issued to newsmen in Makurdi, said the incident took place last Saturday, October 24, 2026.

He said the troops bumped into the suspected kidnappers armed with dangerous weapons while attempting to abduct motorists and other road users.

He said the troops engaged the suspects in a firefight, forcing them to abandon their captives and flee while the troops subsequently pursued the fleeing suspects but no further contact was made.

The statement said one of the rescued victims, Mrs Mngunengen Ihom, Age 36, from Ahume, sustained machete wounds during the incident and was evacuated to Naka General Hospital for medical attention.

The Force Commander, Joint Task Force OPWS, and the General Officer Commanding, 5 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Gara, has charged troops to sustain aggressive, intelligence-led operations against armed elements threatening the safety of residents in the Joint Operations Area.

Gara also urged personnel to strengthen human intelligence gathering to improve early warning and response to security threats.

The Force Commander reassured residents of the Joint Operations Area of the Task Force’s continued commitment to restoring peace and security, while he encouraged members of the public to provide credible, timely information to security agencies to support ongoing operations.

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