The Kogi state government has announced the successful rescue of some students abducted from the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTEC) Osara, following a daring operation by security operatives and local hunters.
Gunmen had stormed the university campus on May 9, kidnapping students who were preparing for their examinations. The attack prompted a swift response from security agencies and heightened concerns about the safety of students in the state.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Kingsley Fanwo, the Commissioner for Information, confirmed the rescue operation, stating that the kidnappers were forced to retreat in the face of overwhelming firepower from the joint security team.
Fanwo did not provide specific details regarding the number of students rescued, but he affirmed that efforts are underway to ensure the safe return of all abducted individuals.
“This is to inform the general public that some of the students abducted by gunmen at the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara have been rescued safely by local hunters and other security agents,” the statement reads.
“Local vigilante men and security agents engaged the kidnappers in a fierce shootout and the kidnappers succumbed to superior firepower and escaped with gun wounds, leaving the kidnapped students who also ran in different directions to avoid being caught up in the fire exchange.”
Fanwo further disclosed that a hunter and a DSS operative sustained injuries during the confrontation with the kidnappers and are currently receiving medical treatment.
Security operations are ongoing, with authorities intensifying efforts to locate and rescue the remaining students still held in captivity. William Aya, the police spokesperson in Kogi, was unavailable for comment on the recent developments.
