By Sunday Ani
Imo State Command of the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS), has discovered five decomposing bodies, suspected to be victims of kidnapping in a forest in Owerri.
They discovered the bodies while on operation following an intelligence report of nefarious activities within the forest opposite Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), along the road connecting Avu and Ihiagwa.
The NHFSS men numbering over 50 were led during the operation by the State Commander, Dr. Fabian Iwuji.
A video of the operation showed that of the five decomposing bodies, one was a woman, while the others were men.
The Imo State Commander of the NHFSS, Dr. Fabian Iwuji, who led the operation, said the Command embarked on the operation following intelligence information that there was kidnappers’ den in the forest opposite FUTO, along the Avu/Ihiagwa road.
He said: “Immediately the Command got the Intel, we contacted Abuja headquarters and the Technical Services for logistics.
“Once we got clearance from the Commander General of the Service, Dr. Wole Joshua Osatimehin, and logistics provided by the Deputy Commander General, Technical Services, Amb John Metchie, we immediately mobilised over 50 operatives on Hilux Vans and moved to the forest.
“However, there was no gun encounter because the criminals have left the place, maybe, long before our arrival.
However, we want yo state that as long as crimes that are planned and executed in the forests are concerned, officers and men of the NHFSS are ready to flush out all the criminals and make the forests very hostile for them to operate from.”