The Nigerian Army troops have rescued a retired senior military officer, Col. Ajanaku (rtd), who was abducted by gunmen from his residence in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The retired officer was kidnapped at about 12:45 a.m. on January 5, 2025 from his house located opposite the Salvation Army Church along Rukuba Road.
Troops drawn from relevant sectors promptly responded to the incident and trailed the kidnappers along their escape route through the Wildlife Park, while search and rescue operations were intensified around caves and rocky high grounds suspected to be criminal hideouts.
According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, the abductors later contacted the victim’s wife and demanded a ransom of N200 million, while threatening to k!ll the retired officer if rescue efforts were not halted.
However, security forces were said to have switched to covert operations, leading to the successful rescue of Col. Ajanaku at about 5:30 p.m. on the same day at the outskirts of the Rafiki axis in Bassa LGA.
The rescued officer was said to be undergoing medical checks at a military medical facility and would be debriefed to provide intelligence for follow-up operations.
Sources added that troops had continued combing surrounding forests in pursuit of the fleeing kidnappers.
