Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Tactical and anti-kidnapping units of the Rivers Police Command have rescued the two Staff of the Rivers State Judiciary – Carols Tam Tolufari and Mrs Ibim Oposunju, the chairman and secretary of the State chapter of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria and other six passengers, abducted on Wednesday July 5 along Elele-Isiokpo road in Ikwerre local government area of Rivers State.
It was learnt that the victims were released in batches unhurt in a joint operation yesterday after the detectives trail the kidnappers to their hideout, but the process was kept in wraps until the last batch was set free.
Nnamdi Omoni, DSP and the Spokesman of Rivers State Police Command confirmed that the two union executives kidnapped along with a pregnant woman on their way back to Port Harcourt from Abuja were released yesterday and have been reunited with their families.
Omoni “I can confirm with gratitude that they have been released. The last of the six batches of the eight passengers were received by officers of the Tactical Unit of the Command in a joint operation. We were close to getting them rescued a few days ago, but we didn’t want to exchange fire with the kidnappers.
“We wanted to be diplomatic and tactical and that we did yesterday and it paid off and they were rescued unhurt and they have been debriefed and reunited with their families to seek medical attention”.
It would be recalled that the passengers were abducted after their which was on the way from Abuja to Port Harcourt was forced to stop by some unknown gunmen.