Two brothers abducted by suspected kidnappers in Enugu State have been rescued unhurt in Owukpa Community, Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, following a fierce gun battle between security operatives and the fleeing criminals.
The victims were kidnapped on Sunday at Ezimo-Uno in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State while visiting a native doctor, Anselm Ogbu. According to the Enugu State Police Command, a coordinated operation involving police operatives from Enugu and Benue states, the Nigerian Army, Benue State Civil Protection Guards, Enugu State Forest Guards, Neighbourhood Watch members and local vigilantes tracked the kidnappers to Ikele in Owukpa Community.
Police spokesperson SP Daniel Ndukwe said the security team engaged the kidnappers in an intense gun battle, forcing them to flee with gunshot injuries while abandoning the two victims. “The victims were rescued unhurt at about 1:40 p.m. on August 4, 2026, at Ikele, Owukpa Community, Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State, after an intense gun duel forced the kidnappers to flee,” Ndukwe stated.
He added that security operatives recovered 15 rounds of live ammunition, the victims’ Android phones and car keys, other mobile phones and accessories, a bottle containing suspected hard drugs and drug paraphernalia, clothing items, and ₦11,800 in cash. The victims have since been reunited with their family, while security agencies continue efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
Security sources also disclosed that the kidnappers are believed to operate from a notorious cave hidden inside a forest behind a popular trailer park along the Enugu-Benue border, using the location as a hideout for their operations.
