Police Rescue Enugu Road Kidnap Victims

The Enugu State Police Command successfully rescued several individuals who were abducted along the Eke/Ebe Road in the Udi Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

Naija News reports that the rescue operation, which occurred around 6:15 p.m. on March 31, 2024, followed a fierce exchange of gunfire with the kidnappers, leading to the safe recovery of the victims.

The command’s spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, shared in a statement on Wednesday in Enugu that the victims were kidnapped earlier that day, around 4:55 p.m., while traveling in two Mercedes Benz 4Matic Jeeps.

The police, alongside the Neighbourhood Watch Group from the Ezinze Police Division, swiftly responded to the distress call, engaging the abductors in a gun battle that forced them to flee and abandon their captives.

“The immediate rescue is due to the team’s swift response upon receipt of information alleging that the victims, who were plying the road in two Mercedes Benz 4Matic Jeeps, were abducted and taken into the forest,” Ndukwe explained.

He also noted that efforts to apprehend the fleeing kidnappers are actively ongoing.

Amidst the successful rescue, a viral video surfaced, falsely alleging another police team’s hesitance to enter the forest for the rescue operation, due to a lack of coordination with the first responders.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu, condemned the video, clarifying that the officers were gathering necessary intelligence before proceeding, to minimize potential collateral damage.

Uzuegbu denounced the allegations in the video as a mischievous attempt to undermine the police’s dedication to combating criminality in Enugu State.

He affirmed the force’s unwavering commitment to eradicating criminal activities, despite such distractions.

“This is even when the police operatives had only arrived at the scene and were awaiting necessary intelligence-guidance before proceeding into the forest, to avoid any form of collateral damage,” Ndukwe added.