A kidnap victim named Chukwunonso Nzekwe was rescued by the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) in the Nimo Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra.
Dr. John Metchie, the Deputy Commander-General of NHFSS in charge of Intelligence, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.
Metchie stated that the victim was rescued on Saturday during a combined operation between the NHFSS and the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra Brigade, Ochabrigade.
He explained that the rescue was prompted by a report of a kidnapping incident during a Catholic Church parish prayer in the Nimo village, in which the victim, a building engineer, was abducted.
He claimed that after the kidnapping, the victim was taken to Agu Urukwelora village in Egbengwu Ojideleke Nimo, where an NHFSS intelligence officer spotted them in the forest.
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”He informed a retired Superintendent of Police who in a swift response with other officers apprehended one of the kidnappers who hails from Nasarawa State and resident of Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area.
”Though his partners escaped after serious gun battles, the victim was rescued.
”A locally made gun was also recovered, and the suspect was quickly handed over to the police at the Rapid Response section at Awkuzu for discreet investigation,” he said.
Metchie praised the rescue team’s bravery and promised that the hunters would continue to protect Anambra forests from illegal intrusions.
He also requested more information from members of the public to help them address security issues, emphasising the importance of speaking up when they notice something.
He emphasised the NHFSS’s determination to continue working with Ochabrigade to rid the state of criminal elements.
He also praised the Commander-General, Dr Joshua Osatimehin, for his transformational leadership and the Anambra State Commander, Mr Destiny Jonas, for his dedication to the service.
