The Enugu State Police Command has rescued a kidnapped woman and neutralised a suspected kidnapper during an intelligence-led operation in Okpuje, Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.

The operation, which took place on Friday, July 31, 2026, was launched after police received a distress call at about 10:10 a.m. reporting that armed kidnappers had emerged from a nearby forest and abducted a woman along Anuka Road, Okpuje.

According to a statement issued on Saturday, August 1, 2026, by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, operatives of the Okpuje Police Division immediately mobilised alongside Forest Guards and members of the Neighbourhood Watch to trail the kidnappers.
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The security team tracked the suspects into the Anuka forest near the Enugu-Kogi State boundary, where they engaged the gang in a gun battle.Time & Calendars

During the exchange of gunfire, one of the suspected kidnappers was killed, while other members of the gang escaped into the forest with suspected gunshot wounds.

The police said the abducted woman was rescued unhurt, while her two children and motorcycle, which the kidnappers abandoned at the scene, were also recovered.

“The victim and her children have since been reunited with their family, while efforts have been intensified to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects,” the statement said.

Reacting to the successful operation, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the police operatives, Forest Guards and Neighbourhood Watch members for their swift response and effective collaboration.

He reaffirmed the command’s determination to sustain intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.

The police commissioner also urged residents to remain security conscious and continue supporting law enforcement agencies with credible and timely information.

CP Giwa said the command remains committed to protecting lives and property through proactive policing and strengthened collaboration with local security stakeholders.

Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued a kidnapped senior military officer, Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Mr Ikechukwu Onwuanra, after a 10-day joint search-and-rescue operation in Enugu State.

This is contained in a military operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

The military said the victims were rescued in the early hours of Friday, following sustained pressure on their abductors.

The military said troops of Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA, comprising personnel of the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion (Reinforced), the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service and the 197 Special Forces Battalion, carried out the operation.

It said the troops, led by the Commander, 82 Division Garrison, conducted intensive searches across Inyi, Awlaw and Akpugo-Eze forests and communities in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

According to the report, troops received intelligence from the Divisional Police Officer of Inyi Division at about 2:00 a.m. on Friday on the whereabouts of the victims.

It said the troops immediately launched a fighting patrol to the location where the victims were found abandoned at the edge of a forest in Inyi.

The military said both victims had sustained gunshot wounds and were rescued before being evacuated to the 82 Division Medical Hospital for treatment and medical evaluation.

It added that preliminary interrogation revealed the victims had been blindfolded, transported to an unknown location and later abandoned within a forest along the Enugu-Anambra border.

“The victims attributed their rescue to the sustained pressure mounted by the joint troops, which denied the kidnappers freedom of movement and compelled them to abandon their captives,” it said.

The military said further details on the operation would be made available later.

(NAN)

Armed men have reportedly abducted a Catholic seminarian, Mr. Kelvin Ochai, after invading the residence of a Catholic bishop in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attack reportedly occurred on Wednesday, July 29, when the gunmen stormed the Bishop’s residence located in the Asa III area of Otukpo, sparking concern within the Catholic community.

The incident was confirmed in a statement issued on Friday by the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Rev. Fr. Joseph Aboyi Itodo.

According to the statement, the kidnappers made away with the seminarian, Mr. Kelvin Ochai, while details surrounding the attack and the circumstances of his abduction remain unclear.

The Diocese disclosed that the Catholic Bishop of Otukpo, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, expressed deep sorrow over the incident and called on members of the Church and the general public to pray for the seminarian’s safe return.

Describing the abduction as a painful development, the bishop appealed to all Christ’s faithful in the Diocese of Otukpo, as well as people of goodwill, to unite in prayer for the victim and others being held captive across the country.

“The Bishop, who is deeply saddened by this unfortunate development, calls on all Christ’s Faithful in the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and all people of goodwill to earnestly pray for the seminarian’s quick and safe release,” the statement read.

The Diocese further entrusted the abducted seminarian and all other kidnapping victims in Nigeria to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“We commit our brother and all those in the kidnappers’ den throughout the country to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for their speedy and safe release from the hands of their abductors,” the statement added.

As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had not released an official statement on the attack, and it remains unclear whether contact has been established with the kidnappers or if any arrests have been made.

The latest incident adds to growing concerns over insecurity in parts of Benue State and the increasing number of attacks targeting religious institutions and clerics, prompting renewed calls for stronger security measures to protect lives and property.