Two staff members of Unity Bank who were abducted in Benue State have regained their freedom after a coordinated military operation in neighbouring Taraba State.

The victims, identified as 40-year-old Marwan Abubakar and 37-year-old Leng’en Cakop, were seized in Zaki-Biam, a town in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue, an area that has seen repeated incidents of kidnapping and armed attacks in recent years.

According to the acting media information officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, troops received actionable intelligence that terrorists were holding captives in Gborgbor Village, Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State. The information triggered a swift search-and-rescue mission by the Joint Task Force.

Troops initially combed several houses and suspected hideouts in Gborgbor but found no trace of the hostages or their captors. Fresh intelligence, however, indicated that the kidnappers were still within the general area, prompting commanders to reinforce the operation.

Additional troops, led by a Sub-Sector Commander, were deployed and the search radius was widened to nearby settlements, including Tse Anaka. Under sustained pressure from the advancing soldiers, the kidnappers reportedly abandoned their captives and fled the area.

The two bank workers were recovered alive and taken into protective custody. A motorcycle believed to have been used by the kidnappers was also recovered along the route to Tse Anaka, providing investigators with potential leads on the gang’s movements and logistics.

Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, Major General Moses Gara, praised the troops for what he described as a professional and timely intervention. He said the rescue underscored the value of intelligence-led operations in tackling kidnapping and other forms of terrorism across the region.

Gara assured residents of Benue, Taraba and adjoining states that the Joint Task Force would maintain pressure on criminal networks and continue to prioritise the safety of civilians. He appealed to communities to share credible, timely information with security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to dismantling kidnapping syndicates and restoring lasting security.