Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State Police Command says it has rescued a seven-year-old boy, Ebuka Ezewugo, who was abducted from his father’s residence by gunmen.
The young boy was rescued by officers and men of Operation Zenda on Tuesday in Naka town, headquarters of Gwer West Local Government Area of the state after spending six days in captivity with his abductors.
Our correspondent gathered that the captors of Master Ezewugo later demanded N30 m ransom from his father before he could be released.
However, he was released after men of Operation Zenda, an elite squad headed by SP Justin Gberindyer, engaged the kidnappers in an exchange of gun fire in a community along Naka road.
At the end of the rescue operation, three of the abductors were arrested while other members of the gang allegedly fled into the surrounding bushes with bullet wounds.
Confirming the report, police spokesman, DSP Catherine Anene, in a phone chat said the seven-year-old minor was rescued from kidnappers adding that police were on top of the situation.
While noting that the Commissioner of Police, Mukkadas Garba, was doing everything to reduce crime to its barest minimum in the state, Anene called on the public to assist the police and other security agencies with useful information that could help nip crime in the bud especially during the Yuletide season.