Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, have rescued two kidnap victims in Gborgbor Village, Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Two staff members of Unity Bank, identified as Marwan Abubakar, 40, and Leng’en Cakop, 37 have been rescued after being kidnapped.
They were reportedly abducted in Zaki-Biam, located in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
The acting media information officer of OPWS, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the rescue operation was carried out following actionable intelligence on the presence of terrorists and their captives in the area.
“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, OPWS troops conducted an aggressive search and rescue mission aimed at locating the terrorists and safely recovering the victims.
“Troops thoroughly searched suspected houses and locations within Gborgbor Village but initially found nothing unusual. Further intelligence indicated the kidnappers and their victims remained in the area,” the statement partly read.
Additional troops, led by the Sub-Sector Commander, were subsequently deployed to reinforce the search operation.
The statement added that the operation was extended to nearby communities, including Tse Anaka, in a move aimed at mounting sustained pressure on the kidnappers.
“The terrorists were forced to abandon their captives and flee. The victims were safely recovered, and a motorcycle suspected to have been used by the criminals was recovered along the route to Tse Anaka Village,” Zubairu said.
The Force Commander of OPWS, Maj. Gen. Moses Gara, commended the troops for their professionalism and swift response, noting that the operation underscored the effectiveness of intelligence-led strategies in tackling kidnapping and other terrorist activities.
Gara also reassured residents of Taraba and neighboring states of the Joint Task Force’s continued commitment to protecting lives and property.
He urged members of the public to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information that will aid efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating in the region.
