Troops rescue policeman, six passengers abducted in Plateau

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have rescued a policeman and six passengers who were abducted by suspected kidnappers along a highway in Riyom LGA of Plateau State.

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have rescued seven travellers abducted by suspected kidnappers along a highway in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. The spokesperson of Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Polycarp Oteh, said the rescue followed a swift response to a distress call at about 9:30 pm on Monday near Sopp village in Riyom Local Government Area.

He said troops deployed under Sector 6 of Operation Enduring Peace arrived at the scene and found a green Opel Vectra abandoned in the middle of the road with no occupants, prompting an immediate search-and-rescue operation in the surrounding bush. He added that the troops made contact with the suspected kidnappers during the operation, forcing them to flee into the bush under sustained military pressure and abandon their captives.

The rescued victims were identified as ASP Babagida Ishaku, Auwulu Haruna, Dung Jerry Dang, Anas Idris, Hussaini Mohammed, Idris Abdullahi and Kangyang Sunday. The victims reportedly told the troops they had boarded the vehicle in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, and were travelling to Jos when they were intercepted and abducted by the gunmen.

All seven victims were rescued unharmed, while efforts have been intensified to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects. Captain Oteh further emphasised that Operation Enduring Peace will continue to aggressively discharge its duties to ensure peace and security, safeguarding the lives and property of law-abiding citizens within its Joint Operations Area.

The rescue is a rare victory in Plateau State’s ongoing battle against kidnapping. The state has been plagued by banditry and communal violence, with the Riyom area a hotspot for criminal activity. The troops’ success in this operation will boost confidence, but it is unlikely to deter the kidnappers entirely.

This echoes the 2022 rescue operations in Plateau, which also involved troops tracking kidnappers to their hideouts. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: kidnappers remain active, and the military remains reactive.

The winners: the seven rescued victims, who have been reunited with their families, and the troops, who have demonstrated competence. The losers: the kidnappers, who lost their captives, and the residents of Plateau, who still live in fear of the next attack.

Bottom Line: Seven people have been rescued from kidnappers in Plateau. That is good news. The bad news is that the kidnappers are still out there, and the next victim is waiting.