Joint task force rescues two kidnap victims

Two kidnap victims have been rescued from the hands of their abductors by the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, in Bayelsa State.

The Commander, ODS, Rear Admiral Apochi Sulaiman, made this known on Wednesday during a briefing at the headquarters of the command in Igbogene, Yenagoa.

Sulaiman said the victims were rescued during raids on identified camps of pirates and kidnappers at Oluwasiri and Agbidama creeks in the Brass and Ekeremor local government areas of Bayelsa State respectively.

The commander did not indicate if any arrests were made during the operations.

He said, “During the operation in Oluwasiri particularly, the troops rescued two kidnap victims. One of the victims sustained gunshot injuries during crossfire.

“The injured victim is currently receiving medical attention in one of our facilities in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.”

The commander added that items recovered during the raids were one HK 21E rifle, one rocket propelled gun launcher, four AK-47 rifles, three pistols, and 61 pieces of 12.7/108mm ammunition.

Other recovered items, according to the commander, were five empty rifles’ magazine, one empty pistol magazine, 36 pieces of 7.62mm ammunition, 15 pieces of 9mm ammunition, among others.

Sulaiman warned criminal elements to shun criminalities in their own interest, stating that the military would not shirk its responsibility towards ensuring peaceful socio-economic environment for businesses to thrive.

He also said the military was continuing in its clearance operation in Southern Ondo to rid the area of criminals.

“We were vindicated when the Ondo State Governor (Rotimi Akeredolu) visited the creeks in Southern Ondo following reports that troops sacked residents and destroyed houses; it was evident that no house was torched.

“We are after the criminals and we are raiding their hideouts. We need the support of the people to isolate the criminals in the ongoing operation,” he said.

One of the freed victims, Sulaiman Yinusa said he was kidnapped at Abonima in Rivers State while returning from a business trip.

He said he was held hostage at a militant’s camp in Bayelsa State for 50 days.

He said, “They had demanded N10m and my people could not raise N1m; they negotiated ransom down to N100,000, but my people could not raise the money. They had told me that I would be killed today (Wednesday), but we were rescued last Sunday.”