Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) has rescued a 28-year-old woman, Mrs Member Ityavber at Tse-Ubena village in Yooyo council ward of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Benue State.
In a statement on Thursday, the Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Lt. Ahmad Zubairu, said that the rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with the state security outfit, the Benue Civil Protection Guard.
The statement read: ‘Troops responded to reports of kidnapping activities at Tse-Ubena village in Yooyo Council Ward of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area. Troops deployed from Tor-Donga, in conjunction with operatives of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard, conducted the operation.
‘During the operation, one kidnapped victim, Mrs. Member Ityavber, aged 28, was successfully rescued’.
The OPWS spokesperson added that two suspected armed herders were also arrested at Mbapa and Mbabuande in Gwer West Local Government Area of the state.
Zubairu said that the troops, acting on credible intelligence, conducted a thorough search and discovered an abandoned suspected criminal hideout.
‘Troops continued clearance operations with further exploitation across River Akpako, leading to the arrest of two suspects who are currently in custody undergoing further investigation’, the statement further read.
The Force Commander, of the Joint Task Force (OPWS), Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their prompt response and professionalism.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Joint Task Force to ensuring a secure environment, particularly as communities prepare for the farming season.
