A retired official of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Benue State who was abducted by hoodlums has regained his freedom.

UGAMATV gathered that the retiree was released a day after he was kidnapped in his house.

The retiree, according to a source, was taken away after NDLEA officers arrested a 19-year-old suspected drug dealer, Mngunengen Achir, in Aliade, headquarters of the Gwer East Local Government Area of the state.

Our correspondent learnt that the female suspect was arrested with 5.5 kilogrammes of cannabis and 112 grams of Diazepam on October 6 in Aliade.

The hoodlums, according to the source, demanded the release of the suspect in exchange for the retiree, a request that was jettisoned by the agency.

UGAMATV was told that the retiree was later released unconditionally.

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“The retired officer has been released and the suspect is still in custody,” the source said.

Both the NDLEA commander in the state, Florence Ezeonye, and the command’s spokesman, Philemon Saror, did not respond to calls or text messages to their telephones as of press time.