Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State on Thursday received 11 victims who were recently rescued from the clutches of kidnappers operating across the state’s volatile Sankera axis, expressing gratitude to the security agencies for their coordinated efforts.
The victims, abducted at various times and locations, were freed by a joint task force comprising personnel from Operation Whirl Stroke, the Department of State Services (DSS), the police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), among others. The operations were concentrated in the Sankera region, which includes Ukum, Logo, and Katsina-Ala local government areas — long troubled by banditry and communal unrest.
Speaking after an emergency Security Council meeting in Makurdi, Governor Alia described the rescue as a significant breakthrough in the state’s ongoing battle against criminality.
“It is quite a horrifying experience that they went through in the hands of the kidnappers, with a lot of trauma,” he said. “But we thank God that this day, having spent some time under those terrible human beings, some operations were carried out in the Sankera axis, and they have been rescued.”
The Governor revealed that the rescued individuals included three from Benue, three from Taraba, two from Cross River, and two from Ebonyi. Some had spent up to two months in captivity.
He commended the victims for their resilience and pledged that his administration would continue to strengthen collaboration with security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and property.
“We thank the Federal Government, who sent in well-armed security personnel to come in and support the efforts we are doing here,” Alia said, adding that his government would also provide support to help the victims return home and reunite with their families.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Benue State Bureau for Homeland Security, Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuan (retd.), who presented the victims to the Governor, attributed the success to swift intervention by the state government and the commitment of security operatives.
The development comes as Benue and other North-Central states continue to grapple with persistent insecurity, particularly in border communities where criminal gangs operate with alarming frequency.
