Army Rescues Kidnapped Lieutenant Colonel After 10 Days

The troops, led by the Commander of the 82 Division Garrison, conducted intensive search operations across the forests and surrounding communities of Inyi, Awlaw and Akpugo-Eze in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

A senior Nigerian Army officer, Lt.-Col. Ofor Amobi, has been rescued after spending 10 days in captivity following a coordinated search-and-rescue operation by security forces in Enugu State.

The officer was rescued alongside a civilian, Mr Ikechukwu Onwuanra, at the edge of a forest in Inyi community during an operation carried out in the early hours of Friday, according to a military operational report obtained on Saturday in Abuja.

The military said the rescue followed sustained pressure mounted on the abductors through a joint operation involving troops of Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA. The operation comprised personnel of the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion (Reinforced), the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, and the 197 Special Forces Battalion.

The troops, led by the Commander of the 82 Division Garrison, conducted intensive search operations across the forests and surrounding communities of Inyi, Awlaw and Akpugo-Eze in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

According to the report, the breakthrough came after the Divisional Police Officer of Inyi Division provided actionable intelligence at about 2 a.m. on Friday regarding the victims' location.

Acting on the intelligence, troops launched a fighting patrol to the area, where they found both victims abandoned at the edge of the forest.

The military disclosed that Lt.-Col. Amobi and Onwuanra sustained gunshot wounds during their ordeal. They were evacuated to the 82 Division Medical Hospital, where they are receiving treatment and undergoing further medical evaluation.

The successful operation marks the end of a 10-day search involving multiple security agencies operating under Operation UDO KA.