Two traders have been rescued from kidnappers by personnel of the Benue State Police Command.
The traders, last Thursday, were abducted by gunmen who invaded a market at Mchia community in Logo Local Government Area of the state.
The abductors of the business owners had demanded N10m ransom, a family source disclosed in confidence.
The family source added that the incident was immediately reported at the police station in Ugba, the headquarters of the Local Government Area.
He said, “We heard that some gunmen stormed Mchia market on Thursday and whisked away one of our relatives and another person who was in the market.
“The following day which was Friday, they called one of our family heads to bring N5m before he could be released.
Spokesperson for the state command, SP, Catherine Anene, said the kidnap victims had been rescued and some of the suspects apprehended.
In a statement issued and made available to journalists on Sunday, Anene said the kidnap victims were rescued on Saturday.
“Upon receipt of the information which was relayed to the Benue State Police Command headquarters in Makurdi, the Commissioner of Police, CP. George Chuku, ordered the deployment of tactical teams to raid the area and ensure that victims were rescued.
“On 25/11/2023, the police team stormed a hideout where the two victims were rescued at the compound of Zaki Tule Nyam, a tax collector.
“The victims stated that they were held hostage and their families were given one week to source for N10m as ransom before their release,” the statement read in parts.
The PPRO said the tax collector and 17 other suspects were arrested in the compound for further investigation.
Anene who mentioned items recovered from the suspect to include one dane gun and a matchete called on the people of the local government to cooperate with police teams sent to the area by giving them useful information.