By Sam Tyav, Makurdi
Probably, but for the quick intervention of police personnel, a man in Benue State would have been spending this year’s Christmas Day in the den of kidnappers.
Personnel of the State Police Command foiled a kidnap and rescued the victim unhurt in the early hours of today as many Nigerians, particularly Christians, were in Christmas celebration mood.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Udeme Edet said the incident occurred at about 3 am at Tiortyu area, along Makurdi-Gboko road in the troubled North-Central Nigeria state.
The police spokesman said the man, identified as Akume Geoffrey, who was transiting from Gboko to Makurdi, was accosted by armed men suspected to be kidnappers.
According to him, the suspects then “forcefully abducted” the victim and were in the process of taking him deeper into a nearby thick forest.
“Upon receipt of the distress information, operatives of the Benue State Police Command swiftly swung into action and commenced intensive patrols and a coordinated search of the area.
“On sighting the police team and hearing the sirens, the perpetrators abandoned the victim and fled into the forest,” the PPRO stated.
The police spokesperson further disclosed that the victim, who proceeded to escape from the fleeing kidnappers, was successfully rescued by the police patrol team unhurt and with no ransom paid.
Edet added that the victim was subsequently taken to Abinse Police Station, where he was debriefed by the Benue State Commissioner of Police (CP) and later reunited with his family.
The CP, Ifeanyi Emenari, according to the statement, appreciated the swift response, courage, and professionalism of the operatives involved in the operation.
He reassured the people of Benue State of the Command’s unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property, especially during the festive season.
Emenari further assured residents that patrols, stop-and-search operations, and intelligence-led policing have been intensified across strategic locations in the state and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station or through approved emergency channels.
Efforts, the statement emphasized, were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.
*PHOTO CAPTION: CP Emenari.
