A joint military task force has rescued an abducted senior Nigerian Army officer, Lt. Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Mr. Ikechukwu Onwuanra, 10 days after they were kidnapped in Enugu State.

The development was disclosed on Saturday by counter-insurgency and Lake Chad security analyst, Zagazola Makama, in a post on his X handle, citing intelligence sources.

Makama, citing security sources, said the victims were rescued in the early hours of Saturday, August 1, following an intensive search-and-rescue operation by troops of Sector 1, Operation UDO KA.

The operation involved personnel of the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion (Rear), the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service (NN SBS), and the 197 Special Forces Battalion, under the leadership of the Commander, 82 Division Garrison, with support from the Air Component.

The sources said troops conducted sustained operations between 6:00 p.m. on July 31 and 6:00 a.m. on August 1, acting on actionable intelligence across the forests of Inyi, Awlaw and Akpugo-Eze, as well as adjoining communities in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

At about 2:00 a.m., the Divisional Police Officer of Inyi Division reportedly alerted the troops to the suspected location of the victims.

The troops immediately launched a fighting patrol and found Lt. Col. Amobi and Onwuanra abandoned at the edge of a forest. The civilian was discovered with a gunshot wound.

Both victims were evacuated to Inyi before being transferred to the 82 Division Medical Hospital for treatment and further medical evaluation.

During preliminary debriefing, the victims said they were blindfolded shortly after being abducted and taken to an unknown location. They added that they were later abandoned in a forest around the Enugu-Anambra border as security forces intensified operations against their captors.

Military intelligence attributed the successful rescue to sustained pressure mounted by the joint force, backed by the Air Component, which maintained surveillance and operational dominance over suspected criminal hideouts throughout the 10-day operation.

The report added that efforts were ongoing to identify, track and arrest those responsible for the abduction.

Two police officers were killed on Friday morning in a fatal road crash while performing their duties along Ali Akilu Road in the Kawo area of Kaduna State.

The accident occurred around 7:00 a.m. at the General Hassan Katsina U-turn, commonly known as Water U-turn.

A vehicle reportedly driven by a military officer rammed into the police officers at their duty post, causing fatal injuries on the spot due to the severity of the impact.

The Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, while confirming the accident, explained that the officers were actively carrying out their legitimate duties when the crash occurred.

According to Hassan, “The accident happened at the Water U-turn along Ali Akilu Way, Kawo, when a car driven by a military personnel rammed into two police officers who were at their duty post.”

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Rabiu, on behalf of the entire Command, extended deep condolences to the families of the fallen officers.

Preliminary investigations confirmed that the driver involved was a military personnel. The driver, who sustained injuries during the crash, is currently receiving medical attention under security supervision at an undisclosed hospital in Kaduna.

The Command assured the public of a thorough and transparent investigation in collaboration with sister security agencies, while calling on all motorists to strictly observe traffic regulations.

Illegal miners operating in Gangtu village, in Bali Local Government Council of Taraba State, have once again fled their mining site ahead of a raid by the Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force.

The task force, led by Chairman Jamu Emmanuel Lyon, said the repeated abandonment of mining locations by suspected illegal miners shows that sustained surveillance and operations are putting pressure on unauthorized operators across the state.

Jamu disclosed this over the weekend after he and his team returned to Gangtu village following intelligence reports that illegal mining activities had resumed in the area despite previous warnings.

According to him, operatives moved swiftly to the location but discovered that the miners had already escaped, leaving behind equipment and fleeing into nearby bushes, allegedly after receiving information about the planned operation.

Although no arrests were made during the exercise, the task force chairman described the development as a positive indication that illegal miners were becoming increasingly aware of the security pressure against their activities.

“This is the second time in two weeks that we have stormed this location, and each time, we find that the illegal miners have taken to their heels,” Jamu said.

“Though we did not make any arrests today, we are not discouraged. This cat-and-mouse game will not deter us. We are more determined than ever to rid Taraba State of the scourge of illegal mining.”

He added that the task force was strengthening intelligence gathering in Gangtu and other identified mining hotspots across the state, while plans were underway to deploy more personnel and increase patrols to prevent the return of illegal operators.

Jamu also revealed that the task force would collaborate with local vigilantes and community leaders to create a stronger early warning system capable of detecting and stopping illegal mining activities before they escalate.

Meanwhile, the abandoned mining equipment and makeshift structures discovered at the site are being documented, with plans to destroy them to prevent their reuse by illegal miners. He warned that anyone caught attempting to retrieve or operate the abandoned equipment would face arrest and prosecution.

The task force chairman urged residents of Gangtu and surrounding communities to continue providing credible information on illegal mining activities, stressing that community support was crucial to protecting the state’s natural resources.

“We cannot win this battle alone. The people of Taraba are the true custodians of our natural resources, and we need their active participation to protect these resources from being plundered,” he said.

The Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force maintained that operations would continue across Taraba State, warning illegal miners that fleeing security raids would not shield them from eventual arrest and prosecution.