Vigilante group raids kidnappers’ den, rescues victims in Benue

The Benue State Community Vigilante Group, BSCVG, rescued some kidnapped victims in Orokam community, Ogbadibo Local Goverment Area of Benue State on Tuesday.

Newsmen recalls that over 35 passengers were snatched from three commercial vehicles by yet-to-be-identified gun-wielding kidnappers on Otukpo-Enugu Road in Orokam on Sunday.

The successful operation by the vigilante group attracted wild jubilation among inhabitants, neighboring communities and relations of freed victims.

The group revealed this in a statement by its Ogbadibo Commander, Comr. Austin Enejor, on Tuesday.

He said It took the joint efforts of the BSCVG, Army, police, the general public and intelligent gathering to carry out the successful operation.

He said he got a distress call on Monday from members of the public that kidnappers were on rampage along Orokam-Ubolo road and 45 persons were kidnaped at about 9:30 pm.

“However, while I was on patrol with my men we ran into some people that were released by the kidnappers, about 36 of them both males and females.

“I approached them and some of them shared their experience with me about what they went through in the hands of the kidnappers.

“The next day being today 16/1/2024, I mobilized both the police and army, we went into the forest and to the glory of God, we engaged them in a fierce gun battle and we succeeded in bringing some of them down and also recovered an AK-47 machine gun rifle and other items from them.

“In the process of engaging them, one of my officers was shot and seriously wounded, he is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state.

“We want to urge members of the public to carry out their legitimate businesses and report every suspicious elements within their communities,” he said.

Efforts to get a reaction from the Benue State Police Command spokesperson in Makurdi failed.