Benue Catholic priest, seven others rescued

Eight kidnap victims, including a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. John Otache of the Otukpo Diocese, have been rescued by the Benue Police operatives.

The operatives also arrested two suspects in connection with the abduction.

Benue Police’s spokesperson, DSP Peter Aondongu, in a statement said the priest and seven other victims were kidnapped last Tuesday while returning from a village market along the Ugbokolo–Ajegbe–Awume Road, before Ipiga Village in Ohimini Local Government Area of the state.

Aondongu said police operatives, working with personnel of the Police Mobile Force and the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, launched a coordinated rescue operation after receiving a report of the abduction.

The statement reads: “Upon receipt of the report, operatives of the command, in conjunction with personnel of the Police Mobile Force and the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, were immediately mobilised to the area and launched a coordinated rescue operation.

“The operation led to the successful rescue of eight victims, with two rescued on October 16, 2026, and six on October 18, 2026.”

The police spokesperson said two suspects, identified as Echefu Emmanuel and Obonyilor Emmanuel, were arrested during the rescue operations.

He added that the rescued victims had been taken to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo, for medical examinations and necessary treatment.

According to him, the suspects were assisting the police with the ongoing investigation, while efforts had been intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the suspected criminal gang.

He said the command was determined to ensure that all those involved in the abduction were brought to justice.