The Adamawa state police command has rescued two pastors who were kidnapped from their home in Yola and one other man who had earlier been abducted.

According to the police, Rev. Mike Ochigbo, the general overseer of Freedom Power Chapel International, and Rev. John Moses, another pastor in the church, who were abducted from Yola’s Nyibango area early on Wednesday, were freed along with one other person on Friday following a gunfight with the perpetrators who were holding the victims.

According to a statement by the public relations officer of the Adamawa State Police Command, SP Sulaiman Nguroje, the rescue mission started shortly after the incident on Wednesday, following directives from the state commissioner of police, CP Afolabi Babatola, who vowed that the two kidnapped men of God would be rescued.

SP Nguroje said, “Further to the Command’s commitment to enhance proactive strategies, the Command on 26/5/2023 disconnected a criminal network connecting part of Gujubabu, Bole, Yolde Pate and part of Yadim, in Yola South and Fufore local government areas.

“The operation which was carried out by the Command’s operatives led by Commander Crack Squad in a joint operation with members of Tabbital Pulaku hunters yielded positive results.

“The outcome of these successes followed a collaborative strategy with hunters to dislodge criminal hideouts, designed by the command to rescue the kidnapped victims and apprehend the culprits.”

The police command spokesperson added that one of the alleged kidnappers was killed in a gun battle that happened during the rescue operation.

“The suspected kidnappers upon, sighting our men around the hideout, engaged them in a gun duel; as a result, one (1) of them was neutralized while others escaped with bullet wounds.

“One AK-47 rifle with 15 rounds of live ammunition was recovered and the victims were rescued unharmed,” Nguroje added.