By Fathiat Abdulsalam
Troops of the 14 Brigade, Nigerian Army, operating under Operation Eastern Sanity II, have rescued kidnapped victims, recovered a hijacked truck and arrested suspected IPOB/ESN gunmen.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Assistant Director Army Public Relations,14 Brigade Nigerian Army Ohafia, Abia State, Captain Mazinho Attah.
He said troops in the 144 Battalion Area of Responsibility, AOR, while on checkpoint duty along the Aba–Port Harcourt Expressway at Asa community, Ukwa West LGA, intercepted a hijacked truck loaded with cement.
The statement said preliminary investigations revealed that the truck driver, Mr. Okoi Essien, had unknowingly picked up four suspected kidnappers posing as stranded commuters, noting that the suspects later shot the driver with a locally made pistol, abandoned him in the bush, kidnapped two other passengers, and attempted to divert the truck to Rivers State.
The statement said upon sighting troops at the checkpoint, the suspects abandoned the truck and fled into the bush.
Troops immediately chased them, forcing the criminals to abandon a locally made pistol before escaping.
“The recovered truck, weapon, and the two rescued victims, 19 year old Miss Endurance Udeme Mark and 24 year old Mr. Godswill Ubi Okoi, are currently in custody while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects,” the statement said.
The statement said in a separate intelligence-led operation within the 14 Brigade Garrison AOR, troops of 14 Brigade Garrison, 14 Military Intelligence Regiment, and other security agencies conducted a joint cordon-and-search operation at Atan and Uburu villages in Ihechiowa community, Arochukwu LGA of Abia State.
According to the Army statement, the operation resulted in the arrest of two suspected IPOB/ESN members identified as Mr. James Uchechukwu Amah, 56, and Mr. Kalu Nnachi, 42.
Items recovered during the operation included one pump-action gun, five cartridges, two jack knives, one machete, and three mobile phones.
“One of the suspects sustained a gunshot wound to the left foot while attempting to escape and was treated at the 14 Brigade Medical Centre. Both suspects remain in military custody for further investigation,” the statement added.