Troops rescue kidnapped Benue LG chairman

Troops of 72 Special Force Battalion under 401 Special Brigage commanded by Brig. Gen. A . Rabiu, has rescued the kidnapped Ukum local government caretaker chairman, Rev. Gideon Haanongon Bagu.

The council boss and three other victims were abducted along Anyagba, Tongov, in Katsina-Ala LGA around 6:30 am on January 14, 2024, on their way to attend the burial of the paramount ruler of Katsina-Ala, the Ter Katsina-Ala, Fezaanga Wombo.

The troops rescued the council chairman and his personal assistant who had been in the kidnappers’ den for about two weeks, between 5 and 6 pm on Wednesday, January 24, in Katsina-Ala local Government Area Benue State.

The troops said they acted on a distress call, carried out the rescue mission and in the process destroyed three camps of the kidnappers.

“When we recovered him, we brought him down to our barracks in Makurdi. We administered first aid on him and also gave him food to eat. He is in good condition,” the Army said.

While narrating his ordeal to reporters Rev. Haanongon said on that fateful day, he was on his way to attend the burial of the late Ter Katsina-Ala and around Anyagba, he came in contact with some strange boys who were shooting sporadically and even killed someone.

“At that point , I told my driver to stop the car and they took us straight into the bush. They covered my face throughout the period of my captivity. I did not know when it is day time or night. They kept us inside a thatched house without air.

“Each day, the soldiers will come shooting but they manoeuvred their way through a bush path and hid us inside a river. The soldiers destroyed their camps and they kept moving us to another place.

“At a point they told me that these soldiers are disturbing them because of me and that the governor had appealed to them to release me and he will forgive them. They said I should tell the governor to keep to his words and get them out of the bush.

“So, at 8pm on Wednesday, we crossed a stream and trekked a very long distance almost like from Makurdi to Abinsi and they removed the blindfold and asked me to take a path that leads to Zaki-Biam.

“But I recognized the village which is Tse Wombo because my daughter is married there. I must appreciate immensely the effort of the military because it was their persistent pressure that made the kidnappers release me. Also, the Special adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security Lt. Col. Alexander Igbaya Ashungu(rtd) played a significant role in my release.”

Speaking, the Security Adviser Ashungu commended the military for their determination in ensuring the release of the council chairman. He assured Governor Alia was working hard to see to see that criminal did not have their ways in the state.

He said government was meeting with stakeholder to find solution to criminalities and other vices.

The adviser equally disclosed that the military authority had rescued over 13 kidnapped victims of recent.