The Nigerian Army has recovered an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and six other travellers who were seized by suspected kidnappers on Monday in Sopp village, Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State.
According to a security source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, troops from Sector 6 of Operation Enduring Peace Operation, OPEP, carried out the successful rescue operation after responding quickly to a distress call about 9:30 p.m. Monday.
On Tuesday, a security source revealed that when deployed forces arrived at the area, they discovered a blue Opel Vectra abandoned in the middle of the road with no passengers, sparking an immediate search-and-rescue operation in the nearby bush.
According to the source, the forces confronted the suspected kidnappers and engaged them in a shootout, forcing them to run into the woods and abandon their prisoners.
The rescued individuals were named as ASP Babagida Ishaku, Auwulu Haruna, Dung Jerry Dang, Anas Idris, Hussaini Mohammed, Idris Abdullahi, and Mrs. Kangyang Sunday.
The victims reportedly told the army that they had boarded the car in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, and were on their way to Jos when they were intercepted and abducted by the gunmen.
According to the source, all seven victims were retrieved uninjured, and efforts to locate and catch the fleeing culprits have been escalated.