Troops rescue abducted retired army colonel in Plateau

Mr Ajanaku was rescued in the Rafiki axis of the Bassa Local Government Area.

Troops of the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army and Operation Enduring Peace have rescued a retired senior military officer identified as Colonel Ajanaku (rtd), from kidnappers in the State.

Mr Ajanaku was rescued in the Rafiki axis of the Bassa Local Government Area.

The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 3rd Division, Nigerian Army, Aliyu Danja, confirmed the rescue of the retired senior military officer.

“I can confirm that the senior officer was rescued by our troops in the early hours of the evening. He’s currently taken to our medical facility for a medical check-up, “ Mr Danja, a lieutenant-colonel, said.

Sources in Bassa narrated that the retired military officer was abducted at about 12:45 a.m. on Monday from his house located opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road in Bassa LGA.

The sources said troops from relevant sectors promptly responded to the incident and trailed the kidnappers along their escape route through the Wildlife Park, while search and rescue operations were intensified around caves and rocky high grounds suspected to be criminal hideouts.

The security forces were said to have switched to covert operations, leading to the successful rescue of Mr Ajanaku at about 5:30 p.m. on the same day at the outskirts of Rafiki.

Our correspondent reports that the abductors had, before the rescue operation, contacted the victim’s wife and demanded a ransom of N200 million, threatening to kill the retired officer if rescue efforts were not halted.