How security forces rescued eight abducted victims in Enugu
By: Zagazola Makama
For three days, Leonard Onyeka, his wife Onyinye, daughter Chiamaka, and five other victims lived in terror, held captive by armed kidnappers in a dense forest near the 9th Mile axis of Enugu State. But on Tuesday afternoon, their nightmare ended in an emotional reunion, made possible by the tireless efforts of combined security forces.
The victims, abducted on July 19 while traveling through a remote part of the Udi–Nsukka corridor, were released unharmed on July 22 at about 1:40 p.m., following a sustained manhunt by the Nigeria Police, Forest Guards, and members of the Neighbourhood Watch.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the victims were freed without a ransom, as the pressure from tracking teams became unbearable for their captors, who eventually abandoned them and fled deeper into the forest.
“They could no longer cope with the heat from our coordinated operations,” said a senior police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity. “They had no choice but to release the hostages to save themselves.”
The Onyeka family, visibly shaken but physically unharmed, were among the most affected by the ordeal. They kept moving us through thick forest, blindfolded and confused. Sometimes we heard gunshots and thought our end had come,” he said. “But we kept praying, and we knew help was coming.” Said one of the victims after rescue.
Meanwhile, security agencies have vowed to maintain their momentum and bring the perpetrators to book.
“We are following every trail,” another police source said. “This is not the end , it is just the beginning of justice.”
