Troops of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, operating under the Joint Task Force South East as part of Operation UDO KA, have rescued a kidnapped clergyman, Reverend Johnson Onugwu, in Enugu State.

According to a statement posted on the Nigerian Army’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, the clergyman was abducted from his residence in Ezimo Community, Udenu Local Government Area, at about 1:00 a.m. on January 29, 2026, by armed men.

The Army said the rescue followed a swift, intelligence-driven operation.

“Acting on credible intelligence, troops deployed in Udenu tracked the kidnappers to the Itabolo general area and later engaged them at Okpakeke Community,” the statement read.

It added that a gun battle ensued during the operation, resulting in the neutralisation of one of the kidnappers, while the abducted clergyman was rescued unharmed.

Security operatives also recovered one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, and 20 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition from the scene.

The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding lives and property, noting that it is working closely with other security agencies to ensure criminal elements are denied freedom of operation within its area of responsibility.