Police rescue abducted Benue worshippers, arrest four suspects

In a statement on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, said the victims were freed after coordinated operations involving the command and other security agencies.

The Benue State Police Command says it has secured the release of nine worshippers abducted during a night vigil at St John’s Catholic Church in Ojije, Ado Local Government Area, and arrested four suspects in connection with the crime.

In a statement on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, said the victims were freed after coordinated operations involving the command and other security agencies.

“Operatives of the Ado Division, acting on credible intelligence, arrested two suspects, Abubakar Jibril and Ashiru Ibrahim, in connection with the night-vigil kidnapping incident,” she said.

Ms Edet stated that the two suspects were arrested on 11 February and were found with five rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

She said they were subsequently handed over to the Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team for further investigation.

According to her, a follow-up operation on 14 February led to a raid on the hideout of one of the suspects.

“The operation led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle and eight rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, as well as the arrest of two additional suspects believed to be key members of the kidnapping syndicate,” she said.

The police spokesperson added that investigations had established a link between the suspects and the abduction at the church.

She said sustained search operations across the Ado axis and neighbouring communities mounted pressure on the group, resulting in the release of the victims unharmed.

Efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the network, she added.

The Inspector General of Police has also approved the deployment of the Police Air Wing and additional tactical teams to Benue State to strengthen surveillance and intelligence-led operations, the statement said.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that gunmen abducted nine worshippers around 2 a.m. during a 30-day vigil at St John’s Catholic Church.

Days later, family members disclosed that the kidnappers had demanded N100 million ransom, later reduced to N30 million after negotiations.

The church abduction was one of several recent attacks in the state. In the past weeks, gunmen have targeted markets and highways in parts of Kwande, Oju and Okpokwu local government areas, killing residents and abducting travellers.

At least two passengers were killed, and others were taken away in a separate attack along the Okpokwu axis shortly after the church incident.

The police say investigations into the church abduction are continuing.