…As govt launches rescue effforts
Kogi State has been thrown into turmoil following the abduction of nine students from the Confluence University of Science and Technology in Osara, Okene.
The kidnapping took place late Thursday night as armed bandits stormed the university premises, creating chaos and instilling fear among the students gearing up for their upcoming examinations.
Meanwhile, Governor Usman Ododo of the state has swiftly responded to the crisis, activating the state’s security measures in a bid to track down the culprits and safely recover the abducted students.
The kidnappers, believed to have infiltrated the campus through the surrounding bush, reportedly barged into multiple lecture halls, firing shots into the air to intimidate the unsuspecting students.
In a statement released by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, it was revealed that a combined effort involving security forces and local hunters is underway to ensure the successful rescue of the missing students.
“Immediately the report was received, the Kogi State Governor, His Excellency Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo activated the security architecture to track the kidnappers and ensure the abducted students are rescued and the abductors apprehended.
“Hundreds of local hunters, who understand the terrain as well as the conventional security agents are currently combing the area to ensure safe rescue of the abducted students who were kidnapped in the classrooms. So far, nine students have been reported missing,” Fanwo stated.
The statement emphasised the government’s commitment to safeguarding its educational institutions, with Governor Ododo, ordering heightened security presence around all tertiary facilities in the state.
“We are resolute in our determination to bring back all the abducted students unharmed and reunite them with their families. We stand united against such acts of terror, and we will emerge victorious,” the statement concluded.