Military rescues abducted senior officer, civilian in Enugu after 10 days
Joint Military Task Force Rescues Abducted Nigerian Army Officer and Civilian
A joint military task force successfully rescued a senior Nigerian Army officer, Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Mr. Ikechukwu Onwuanra, ten days after their abduction in Enugu State.
The rescue operation occurred in the early hours of August 1 and was confirmed by security analyst Zagazola Makama via a post on X (formerly Twitter), citing intelligence sources.
According to Makama, the operation was part of Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA and involved personnel from the 82 Division Garrison, the 103 Battalion (Rear), the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service (NN SBS), and the 197 Special Forces Battalion. The operation was commanded by the head of the 82 Division Garrison, with air support enhancing situational awareness.
Troops conducted a coordinated search between 6 p.m. on July 31 and 6 a.m. on August 1, acting on actionable intelligence that directed their efforts toward the forests of Inyi, Awlaw, and Akpugo-Eze, as well as surrounding communities in the Oji River Local Government Area.
At approximately 2 a.m., the Divisional Police Officer of Inyi Division informed the troops of a suspected location where the victims were being held. Following this tip, the troops initiated a patrol and located Lt. Col. Amobi and Onwuanra abandoned at the edge of a forest. Mr. Onwuanra was reported to have a gunshot wound.
Both individuals were evacuated to Inyi and subsequently transferred to the 82 Division Medical Hospital for treatment and further medical evaluation.
During initial debriefing, the victims reported being blindfolded following their abduction and held in an undisclosed location before being abandoned in a forest near the Enugu-Anambra border as military pressure on their captors increased.
Military intelligence officials credited the success of the rescue to the sustained efforts of the joint task force, supported by air surveillance that monitored suspected criminal hideouts throughout the ten-day operation. Ongoing efforts aim to identify and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
