Military Joint Taskforce Rescue Four Soldiers Abducted Alongside Over 30 Travellers By Heavily Armed Herders At Enugu/ Kogi Border
The Joint Taskforce on Security, JTS, has rescued four soldiers including two men and two women who were among over 35 passengers abducted along the Enugu/ Kogi border along Ogugu- Ette- Enugu Ezike Nsukka Road last Thursday.
The Joint Taskforce on Security, JTS, has rescued four soldiers including two men and two women who were among over 35 passengers abducted along the Enugu/ Kogi border along Ogugu- Ette- Enugu Ezike Nsukka Road last Thursday.
The victims were abducted at the Enugu end of the road even as the travellers were heading towards the Lokoja - Abuja northern axis before the incident occurred.
There had been palpable tension in both Enugu and Kogi States, following the abduction of the soldiers alongside their civilian passengers near the Kogi
Since the incident, Nigeria security agencies have deployed soldiers, policemen, local vigilante groups like the Neighbourhood Watch and helicopters in a bid to locate the whereabout of the victims without success.
There had been incidents of abductions near the Ubere River and an abandoned Enugu State Government Farm in Ette, in Enugu State.
The Ette Farm which is now a very thick forest is a large expanse of land acquired during the former administration of Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo in the old Enugu State for dry season farming but which was abandoned by the succeeding regimes of Dr Chimaroke Nnamanni, Sullivan Chime, as well as Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
During the Nwodo administration which was sacked alongside the Chief Ernest Shonekan -led Interim Federal Government, by the late General Sani Abacha regime, the state government spent billions of hard earned money to acquire agricultural equipment for dry season farming from Israel but the area was abandoned shortly after the short- lived administration.
Rather than continuing with the agricultural programme in Ette and Adani, among others, the state government abandoned the forest which is being occupied illegally now by Fulani herdsmen and their families.
When Southeast Post visited the abandoned Ette Farms recently, there were two separate settlements of Fulani herdsmen in the forest situated between Ette in Igboeze North Enugu State and Ogugu in Olamaboto Local Government Area of Kogi.
Ette and Ogugu are separated by the Ubere River, from the water was reticulated to the abandoned farm even as the costly equipment imported from Israel had been either vandalised or stolen.
More details later even as the rescue operation continues.
What's Your Reaction?
