Military confirms rescue of kidnapped army officer in Plateau

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the successful rescue of a retired senior military officer, Colonel Ajanaku, who was abducted by gunmen in Plateau State.

Troops of the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), rescued the retired officer around the Rafiki axis in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.

Confirming the development in Jos, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 3 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, said the officer was freed during an operation carried out on Monday.

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“I can confirm that the senior officer was rescued by our troops in the early hours of the evening. He has been taken to our medical facility for a thorough medical check-up,” Danja stated.

According to sources in Bassa LGA, Colonel Ajanaku was abducted at about 12:45 a.m. on Monday from his residence opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road.

Following the abduction, troops from relevant sectors swiftly responded and trailed the kidnappers along their escape route through the Wildlife Park. Search-and-rescue operations were intensified around nearby caves and rocky highlands believed to serve as criminal hideouts.

Security forces were later said to have adopted covert tactics, which led to the successful rescue of the retired officer at about 6:00 p.m. on the same day on the outskirts of the Rafiki axis.

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LEADERSHIP reports that the kidnappers had contacted the victim’s wife before the rescue, demanding a ransom of N200 million and threatening to kill the retired officer if military rescue efforts were not suspended.

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