Army rescues abducted senior officer, civilian after 10-day search operation in Enugu
By Zagazola Makama
A joint military task force has rescued an abducted senior Nigerian Army officer, Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Mr. Ikechukwu Onwuanra, after an intensive 10-day search-and-rescue operation across forests and communities in Enugu State.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the breakthrough came in the early hours of Aug. 1, following sustained operations by troops of Sector 1, Operation UDO KA (OPUK).
The search mission involved personnel of the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion (Rear), the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service (NN SBS), and the 197 Special Forces Battalion, operating under the leadership of the Commander, 82 Division Garrison, with support from the Air Component.
According to the sources, between 6:00 p.m. on July 31 and 6:00 a.m. on Aug. 1, the joint troops continued search operations using actionable intelligence across Inyi, Awlaw and Akpugo-Eze forests and adjoining communities in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.
At about 2:00 a.m., the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Inyi Division alerted the troops to the suspected location of the kidnapped victims.
The troops immediately mobilised and launched a fighting patrol into the area, where they discovered Lt. Col. Amobi and Mr. Onwuanra abandoned at the edge of a forest. The civilian was found with a gunshot wound.
The victims were successfully rescued and evacuated to Inyi before being moved to the 82 Division Medical Hospital for medical treatment and comprehensive evaluation.
During preliminary debriefing, the victims disclosed that they had been blindfolded shortly after their abduction and transported to an unknown location. They said they were later abandoned in a forest around the Enugu–Anambra border as the kidnappers came under sustained operational pressure.
Military sources attributed the successful rescue to the relentless pressure mounted by the joint force, supported by the Air Component, which maintained continuous dominance of the suspected hideouts and denied the abductors freedom of movement throughout the 10-day operation.
The sources said the sustained search-and-rescue mission ultimately forced the kidnappers to abandon the captives and flee.
Further investigations and follow-up operations are ongoing to identify, track and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
