The Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) has announced the successful rescue of two siblings, Chijioke and Uchenna Igwe, who were abducted by armed men in Anambra State.
Dr. John Metchie, the NHFSS Deputy Commander-General (Technical Operations), shared this information while briefing the press on the hunters’ activities in Abuja on Sunday.
According to Dr. Metchie, the siblings were kidnapped on August 16, 2024, while returning from a wedding in Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi Local Government Area. The gunmen intercepted their vehicle, fired multiple shots into the air, and forcibly removed them from their car, dragging them into the nearby forest.
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The NHFSS operatives in Umueri, Anambra-East council area, responded swiftly to a distress call from a concerned citizen, which led to the successful rescue of the victims. The hunters have been working in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, police, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to address the issue of kidnapping in forests nationwide.
Chief Joseph Obaelue, Chief Security Officer of Umueri community and a member of NHFSS, recounted that they received a distress call at around 9 pm on August 16. The team immediately launched a rescue operation, entering the forest where the victims were being held. The victims, originally kidnapped in Nkwelle-Ezunaka, were found and rescued in Umueri, near the Onitsha-Adani forest.
During the operation, the team encountered a vehicle moving suspiciously in the bush. The kidnappers opened fire on the rescuers, resulting in a gunfight. The abductors eventually fled into the dense forest, abandoning the victims. Before the rescue team arrived, the kidnappers had coerced one of the victims into transferring ₦1.3 million to their account.
In addition to rescuing the two brothers, the team recovered a Lexus Jeep 330 and a Toyota Highlander SUV. Earlier that same day, the hunters had also tracked down two criminals who had been extorting people by threatening them over the phone. These suspects used different SIM cards to make calls, claiming they had been hired to kill their targets but would spare their lives if they paid a certain amount of money.
Chief Obaelue praised his team’s bravery during the rescue and acknowledged the support from the military, police, Civil Defence, DSS, Vigilante service, and others in the ongoing battle against kidnapping, banditry, armed herdsmen, and other criminal activities in the forest. He also expressed gratitude to Dr. Metchie for providing the necessary technical and logistical support to the command, and to the NHFSS Commander-General, Dr. Joshua Osatimehin, for maintaining discipline, unity, and a clear sense of purpose within the service.
