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In a dramatic midnight rescue, troops of Operation Udo Ka attached to 401 Special Forces Brigade on Friday stormed a notorious criminal hideout deep inside Orokam Forest along the Benue-Enugu boundary and freed all fourteen travellers who had been kidnapped earlier in the week.
The victims who were abducted while travelling between Udenu in Enugu State and Ogbadigbo in Benue State.
The operation kicked off around 1:30 p.m. on Friday after local farmers and hunters reported suspicious movements inside the forest corridor that has become a safe haven for armed gangs. Acting on the intelligence, soldiers from the Udenu forward operating base quickly mobilised, linked up with community vigilantes, and launched a coordinated advance into the thick bush.
After hours of tracking, the joint team overpowered the kidnappers in a brief but intense exchange of fire, forcing the gunmen to abandon their captives and flee deeper into the forest. All fourteen hostages – men, women, and two teenagers – were found tied up but unharmed. They were immediately provided with first aid and evacuated to safety.
Jubilant family members who had gathered in Orokam and Okpokwu since the abduction broke into tears and thanksgiving when the rescued victims were reunited with them late Friday night. Many described the rescue as a miracle and praised the army for the swift and decisive action.
Military sources say the operation is still ongoing, with troops combing the forest for the fleeing suspects and destroying makeshift camps used by the criminal syndicate.
The rescue brings a rare moment of joy to a region that has been gripped by a surge in kidnappings along the busy but poorly secured interstate routes. Community leaders have renewed their call for permanent military and police presence along the axis, warning that without sustained operations the gangs will simply regroup.
For now, fourteen families are celebrating the safe return of their loved ones, and the soldiers of Operation Udo Ka have earned yet another round of gratitude from a grateful people.
