In a commendable operation, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command successfully rescued two female kidnap victims, Sarah Hassan and Erima Bobo-John, who had been abducted from Kobi community in Abuja on Wednesday, January 31.
The abduction occurred around 1 am, and the victims were being transported to Nasarawa State when vigilant police officers, in collaboration with soldiers from the Nigerian Army at a military checkpoint, intercepted the criminals.
Providing details of the rescue, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, released a statement on Wednesday.
She explained, “FCT police operatives from Asokoro Police Divisional Headquarters, in a well-coordinated effort against criminality in the FCT, successfully rescued two kidnapped victims in the early hours of January 31, 2024, at about 1 am.”
The statement continued, “Following the report of the abduction of two individuals, Sarah Hassan and Mrs. Erima Bobo-John, from Kobi community in Abuja by armed hoodlums, police operatives from Asokoro Divisional Headquarters promptly took action.
They trailed the kidnappers to Nyanya/Keffi Road, where they were confronted by operatives of the Nigerian Army manning a checkpoint.”
According to SP Josephine Adeh, a confrontation ensued between the police operatives and the suspected bandits when the criminals noticed their presence.
In the ensuing gunfight, the bandits were overpowered and compelled to abandon their victims.
The statement elaborated, “Upon encountering the police operatives, the bandits engaged them in a gun duel but were eventually outmatched by the superior firepower of the police.
This forced them to abandon the victims and flee to safety through the nearby forest. The rescued victims have been reunited with their families and are reported to be in good health.”
This successful rescue comes in the wake of heightened concerns over the surge in kidnapping cases, prompting members of the Middle-Belt Youth Forum to stage protests against the escalating insecurity in the region.
Notably, on January 17, the military arrested 10 suspected bandits, underscoring the ongoing efforts to address the security challenges facing various parts of the country.
