By Desire Emmanuel
Seventeen out of 26 pupils and wives of the proprietor abducted by gunmen at a school and an orphanage in Kogi State have been rescued by police operatives.
The state police command while announcing the rescue, said the incident occurred on April 26 around 11:45 p.m. at Daarul Kitab School, an Islamic institution with an attached orphanage home, located at Zariagi along NNPC Road, Kabba Junction, Lokoja.
The command said information regarding the abduction indicated that the gunmen invaded the premises and abducted 26 persons, comprising 24 pupils and two wives of the proprietor, Mallam Mohammed Tanko Tajudeen.
Upon receipt of the report, it said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of ‘B’ Division, Lokoja, mobilised a joint team of security operatives and proceeded to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.
“The operatives immediately mapped out strategies and commenced coordinated rescue operations. Through these efforts, 17 of the abducted pupils/students have been successfully rescued,” the command said in a statement on Monday, April 27.
It stated that more rescue operations are ongoing by joint security operatives comprising the police, military, and other security agencies, with concerted efforts being intensified to secure the release of the remaining nine victims, consisting of seven pupils and the two wives of the proprietor.
“The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State has visited the scene of the incident and ordered massive deployment of tactical teams to strengthen ongoing bush combing, intelligence gathering, and surveillance operations aimed at rescuing the remaining victims and apprehending the perpetrators,” the statement added.
