Kogi Varsity kidnap: Ododo vows return of abducted Students, 14 rescued
IDRIS AHMED, Lokoja.
Following the Thursday night kidnap of yet to be ascertained number of students of the Kogi State Confluence University of Science and Technology, (CUSTEC) Osara, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has vowed to secure the safe return of all the affected students
Governor Ododo gave the assurance when he visited the university campus on Friday on an assessment of the security situation in the wake of the security breach on the campus that led to the abduction of the students.
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Determined to ensure the safe return of the victims, Ododo disclosed that the government would deploy every necessary step including non-kinetic measures, which he said have been activated to ensure the safe return of the students.
The governor, assured members of the University community of efforts by the government to improve the existing security architecture on the campus, promised that he will do whatever it takes to return all the abducted students back to the university and to reunite them with their families and friends.
“It is our duty as a government to protect lives and property in all parts of the state. We are prepared to protect the students and that is why we allowed the students to stay on the campus.
“We installed CCTV cameras in all the classrooms and the entire perimeter of the university campus yet on the day of the attack, our investigation so far revealed that all the cameras were switched off and this can only be attributed to sabotage by internal collaborators.
” Our security agencies are on their heels and investigation is ongoing. All our students shall return safely and the perpetrators shall be brought to book”, the Governor assured.
Speaking further on the ongoing rescue efforts, Governor Ododo disclosed that there will be regular review of the operation as more facts emerge from the investigation.
According to the Governor:
“I am here to see things myself; to assess the situation and also to review the ongoing operation that will ensure the safe return of the students to the school. What is most important now is how to rescue our students unhurt.
“We have the right information at our disposal but we can’t put all that out in the media. I want the parents and students to be calm as we are making concerted effort to secure the return of the students.”
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the safe rescue of 14 abducted Students of the University.
A statement from the Public Relations Officer PPRO of the Command SP William Ovie Aya, on Saturday, said 14 of the kidnapped students have been rescued by a combined team of Security. agencies and local vigilantes.
The Governor, through the state Commissioner for Information and Communications Honourable Kingsley Fanwo, commended the security officers for their gallantry
While the government explained that the Security agencies, vigilantes and local hunters engaged in a fierce gun duel with the bandits in a forest leading to the successful rescue of the Students, the Police promised to inform me general public on the ongoing operation is yielding results and no arrest has been made.
In minimizing the impact of the attack by preventing the attackers from gaining access to the university hostels, stressing that nothing will be spared to bring back the students and to prevent a repeat of such unfortunate attack on the university campus and elsewhere in the state
