The Joint
Task Force (JTF) deployed to the Niger Delta on Wednesday said its troops has
freed two kidnap victims in an operation conducted at Brass and Ekeremor Local
Government Areas of Bayelsa.
Rear Admiral
Suleman Apochi , Commander of JTF told newsmen in Yenagoa that troops also
recovered a cache of arms and ammunition in the rescue operation carried out at
the weekend on the militants camps in Bayelsa.
According to
Apochi, 3 AK 47 riffles, three pistols, medium calibre 12 mm gun as well as
several rounds of ammunition were recovered from the kidnappers den during the
raid
The
Commander however said that one of the victims held hostage by the kidnappers
sustained gunshot injuries in a shootout with the kidnappers who later
abandoned their camps due to superior firepower of the troops.
He explained
that the troops rescued the injured victim who is currently receiving medical attention
at a medical facility and is in a stable condition.
One of the
freed victims, Sulaiman Yinusa told newsmen at the headquarters of the JTF that
he was kidnapped at Abonima in Rivers while returning from a business trip from
Aba.
He said he
was held hostage at a militants camp in Bayelsa where he was held hostage for
50 days.
“I remain
eternally grateful to God for my rescue by the joint military force, it was God’s
making, they had killed many hostages before two of us were freed, especially those
that their relations cannot come up with ransom demanded.
“They had
demanded N10 million and my people cannot even raise N1 million, they
negotiated ransome down to N100,000 but my people could not raise the money,
they had told me that I will be killed today Wednesday.
“ As God may
have it we were freed last Sunday, that is God at work, I am so proud of
Nigerian military,” the elated victim said.
Apochi also
said that the military was continuing in its efforts and clearance operation in
Southern Ondo to rid the area of criminals.
“We were
vindicated when the Ondo State Governor visited the creeks in Southern Ondo
following results that troops had sacked residents and destroyed houses, it was
evident that no houses were torched as erroneously reported.
“We are
after the criminals and we are raiding their hideouts and we need the support
of the people to isolate the criminals, in the ongoing operation,” Apochi said.
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