The 14 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, working under the 82 Division, claimed to have freed 13 abduction victims from the Ngodo-Isuochi route in the Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, said this in a statement.
According to the statement, the forces arrived at the location of the event after responding to distress calls and found two vehicles that had been targeted by kidnappers: a Sienna SUV and an L300 Mitsubishi bus with the registration number UWN 190 AL Enugu.
According to the report, the passengers were taken captive by the kidnappers, who then fled into the nearby bushes while being pursued by the military, who also followed them into the bushes.
“On the first day of the search and rescue operation, troops extricated five victims. On Sunday, July 23, 2023, a second search resulted in the rescue of an additional eight victims, making a total of 13 rescued persons.” The declaration said.
The victims have reportedly been given to the Nigerian Police in Umunne Ochi after being rescued.
The Army urged people to support the troops by providing them with timely and useful information as they deal with security issues across the nation.