Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued an abducted senior military officer, Lt.-Col. Ofor Amobi, and a civilian, Mr. Ikechukwu Onwuanra, after a 10-day joint search-and-rescue operation in Enugu State.

A military operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday said the victims regained their freedom in the early hours of Friday after sustained pressure mounted on their abductors.

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According to the report, the operation was carried out by troops of Sector 1 of Operation UDO KA, comprising personnel of the 82 Division Garrison, 103 Battalion (Reinforced), the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, and the 197 Special Forces Battalion.

The report stated that the troops, led by the Commander of the 82 Division Garrison, conducted intensive search operations across the forests and communities of Inyi, Awlaw, and Akpugo-Eze in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The military said the breakthrough came at about 2:00 a.m. on Friday, when troops received intelligence from the Divisional Police Officer of the Inyi Division on the whereabouts of the victims.

Acting on the intelligence, the troops immediately launched a fighting patrol to the location, where the abducted officer and the civilian were found abandoned at the edge of a forest in Inyi.

According to the military, both victims had sustained gunshot wounds and were promptly evacuated to the 82 Division Medical Hospital for treatment and medical evaluation.

Preliminary interrogation revealed that the victims had been blindfolded, transported to an unknown location and later abandoned in a forest along the Enugu-Anambra border.

The report quoted the military as saying, “The victims attributed their rescue to the sustained pressure mounted by the joint troops, which denied the kidnappers freedom of movement and compelled them to abandon their captives.”

The military added that further details of the operation would be made available later.

An Abuja businessman has appealed for help after alleging that his business premises in the Federal Capital Territory were demolished without prior notice, leaving him with huge financial losses and hundreds of people without jobs.

The businessman made the claim in an emotional video shared on X, formerly Twitter, saying he borrowed £75,000 while living in the United Kingdom to return to Nigeria and invest in the country in response to government appeals to Nigerians in the diaspora.

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According to him, the property, which was completed barely a year ago, was suddenly demolished when bulldozers arrived at about midday without any official warning or notice.

“Around 12 or 1 in the afternoon, bulldozers just came. Nobody gave me notice. I took a loan from the UK, £75,000, to come and invest in Nigeria. You people said we should come back from the diaspora to invest in Nigeria.

“I’ve never done any government contract. I don’t know anybody in government. I came with my own money from the UK to invest here.”

The businessman said the demolition left him devastated, particularly because he is still repaying the loan used to finance the investment.

He disclosed that the facility directly employed 84 workers, while businesses operating within the premises provided livelihoods for about 300 others, all of whom have now been affected by the demolition.

Expressing frustration over the incident, he said he was considering leaving the country.

“As I’m talking right now, I’m thinking of counting my losses, packing my things, tearing my Nigerian passport and going back. I have friends who have destroyed their Nigerian passports because of things like this.”

He questioned the government’s commitment to job creation, insisting that the demolition had rendered hundreds of people unemployed.

“In this place alone, about 300 people have been rendered jobless. And you people say you’re creating jobs? Is this how you create jobs?”

The businessman, however, did not identify the government agency or authority responsible for demolishing the property in the video.

The video has since generated widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians expressing sympathy for the businessman and calling for greater protection of investments, particularly those made by Nigerians returning from the diaspora.

Following a successful one-year internship, intensive training and evaluation programme, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has deployed over 1,000 young professionals into its workforce.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this in a post on its social media handles, describing the exercise as a major milestone for the national oil company.

According to Ojulari, the newly deployed employees emerged from a rigorous process that included internships, training and performance assessment.

“Today marked a huge milestone for us as we officially deployed over 1,000 young professionals into NNPC Ltd after one year of internship, intensive training, and evaluation,” he said.

Ojulari noted that the recruitment exercise reflected the company’s commitment to merit-based employment rather than personal connections or background.

“Different paths, but the same door. And we opened it. That’s what NNPC Limited stands for today: not who you know or where you’re from, but what you can do,” he stated.

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According to Ojulari, while offer letters secured entry into the organisation, the employees’ performance during the internship year earned them permanent deployment.

“Their offer letters got them in, but their work this past year kept them here. They proved themselves day after day, under real pressure, and that’s the standard we’re building. Talent. Hard work. Fairness,” he stated.

Ojulari encouraged the new employees to contribute ideas, speak up, and take responsibility for their professional growth within the company.

He also urged them to remember the process that led to their deployment and to create opportunities for others in the future.

Charging the news employees to strive to make their marks, he stated, “To the over 1,000 newly deployed: you are not just our future. You are our present. Our energy. Our proof. So don’t hesitate to lend your voice, share your opinions, and challenge the status quo. Own your development.

“But don’t forget the wait. Don’t forget the process. Because one day, when you’re sitting where I am, you’ll remember this moment, and you’ll open that same door for someone else.”

The deployment comes as the state oil major continues efforts to strengthen its workforce and build capacity across its operations following its transition into a commercially oriented national energy company under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The NNPC Ltd announced its decision to employ new workers in July 2024 under the immediate past GCEO, Mele Kyari.