From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
The Catholic Priest in the Diocese of Otukpo, Rev. Fr. Anthony Adikwu, who was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen last week Thursday has been released after six days in captivity.
The Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Benue State Command, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed his rescue in a chat with our correspondent in Makurdi on Wednesday.
Recalled that Rev Fr.Adikwu, the Parish Priest of St. Margaret’s Parish, Ajegbe Awume, in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue state, was kidnapped on June 16, 2023, at the Parish residence.
Anene said on getting the information Friday morning, the command immediately swung into action and deployed men to the area.
It was said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Julius Okoro deployed a team of Operation Zenda, Special Joint Task Force Unit led by its Commander, CSP Justine Gberidyer, to the area.
Our correspondent gathered that men of the Operation Zenda unit gave the kidnappers a chase of their lives which forced them to release the priest on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
“Our team have being in that place for some time, after then. It is the pressure mounted on the kidnappers by our team that made them to eventually release him.
“They released him out of pressure,” she said.
Our correspondent reports that the kidnap of the priest was the second in the series of kidnapping in Benue last week.
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