A joint military operation has rescued a senior Nigerian Army officer, Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Ikechukwu Onwuanra, after a 10-day search-and-rescue mission across forests and communities in Enugu State.
The operation involved troops from the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion (Rear), Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service and the 197 Special Forces Battalion, with support from the Air Component.
According to security sources, the rescue was carried out in the early hours of Friday after troops intensified operations across suspected locations in Inyi, Awlaw and Akpugo-Eze forests in Oji River Local Government Area of the state.
The troops reportedly acted on intelligence received from the Divisional Police Officer of Inyi Division, who alerted them to the possible location of the abducted victims.
A fighting patrol was immediately deployed to the area, where the soldiers found Lt. Col. Amobi and Onwuanra abandoned at the edge of a forest. The civilian was said to have sustained a gunshot injury.
The victims were rescued and taken to Inyi before being moved to the 82 Division medical facility, where they are receiving treatment and undergoing medical evaluation.
Preliminary accounts revealed that the victims were blindfolded shortly after their abduction and taken to an unknown location. They were later abandoned near the Enugu-Anambra border as pressure from security forces increased.
Security sources attributed the successful rescue to the sustained efforts of the joint task force, including air surveillance operations that restricted the movement of the kidnappers and placed pressure on their hideouts.
The military has continued follow-up operations aimed at identifying and arresting those behind the abduction.
