Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation WHIRL STROKE, have successfully foiled a kidnapping attempt along the Otukpo–Enugu Expressway in Benue State, rescuing 24 passengers and forcing the armed assailants to flee during a late-night operation.
The intervention followed a distress call received by troops on routine patrol, prompting an immediate deployment to secure the affected section of the highway and prevent the abduction of travellers.
The incident occurred at about 10:00 p.m. yesterday at the Amoda axis in Ohimini Local Government Area, Benue State, when armed criminals emerged from the bush, briefly occupied an existing checkpoint, and stopped two 18-seater commercial buses travelling from Jos, Plateau State, to Ibadan, Oyo State.
The kidnappers attempted to abduct the passengers but were confronted by troops in a firefight that disrupted their operation.
In the initial encounter, 15 passengers were rescued and handed over to the Nigerian Police Division in Otukpo, while six adults and four minors were initially declared missing.
Follow-up operations later led to the rescue of an additional five adults and all four minors, bringing the total number of rescued passengers to 24.
Commenting on the operation, the Force Commander of the Joint Task Force, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their swift response and professionalism. He reaffirmed the Task Force’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property through sustained offensive operations, intelligence-led patrols, and collaboration with other security agencies.
Major General Gara also extended Christmas and Yuletide greetings to residents of Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba States, urging them to remain united, shun violence, and uphold values of love, humility, tolerance, and compassion throughout the festive period and beyond.
