By Ken Afor
The Nigeria Police Force has announced the rescue of seven more students who were kidnapped from the Confluence University of Science and Technology in Osara, Kogi State.
This was disclosed by the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Aya on Thursday.
According to the PPRO, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, deployed the Air Component of the Police Security apparatus, which includes a helicopter crew trained in aerial surveillance, along with a monitoring team and the state’s Technical Intelligence Unit.
He said: “The deployment was in furtherance of the ongoing rescue operation and to sustain the onslaught on the suspected bandits that abducted the yet-to-be ascertained number of students of the Confluence State University, CUSTECH, last week Thursday.
“The reinforcement is in response to the IGP’s unwavering passion about protecting lives and property of all Nigerians, especially the safety of our Children in various Schools in the country.
“The diligence and indomitable spirit of all the combined team led to the rescue of additional seven victims, bringing the total to 21.
“It’s not over until it is over, so we should not rest on our oars. Instead, all hands must be on deck to ensure all are safely rescued and perpetrators are brought to deserved justice.”
Thursday’s rescue brings the number of freed students from captivity to 27, following the initial rescue of 14 on Sunday, May 12, and six students on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
The New Diplomat reports that tragedy struck in the late hours of last Thursday, May 9, when some armed men, suspected to be bandits, stormed the institution located in Osara, Okene area of Kogi State and abducted an unspecified number of students.
The armed men were said to have entered the university premises through a nearby bush, and went straight into about three lecture halls where they wreaked havoc.
