Kogi govt reacts to rescue of 21 kidnapped victims

The Kogi State Government has commended security forces for rescuing 21 people abducted by suspected kidnappers in the Dekina Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the operation demonstrated effective collaboration among security agencies.

The victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, were rescued on Monday by troops of the 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, working with the police, State Security Service (SSS), local hunters and vigilante groups.

According to the statement, the operation followed reports that road users had been abducted along the Alloma-Ejule-Itobe road axis.

Acting on intelligence, the security forces searched the Egume and Ochaja forest areas before locating and rescuing all 21 victims.

One of the rescued men sustained a gunshot wound and was taken to a medical facility for treatment, the government said.

Governor Ahmed Ododo commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the security agencies for their response to the incident.

“Criminals will always regret stepping their feet on Kogi State. We will never wag our tails before cowards who take arms against the state. Kogi is always ready to obliterate any threat to lives and property in the state,” Mr Ododo said.

Mr Fanwo said the rescue demonstrated the determination of the federal government and security agencies to tackle kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.

The government also commended the National Security Adviser, Chief of Army Staff, Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of the DSS, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff and other security officials involved in the operation.

The latest rescue comes amid a series of kidnapping incidents along Kogi’s roads and forest corridors.

PREMIUM TIMES reported on 28 August that 15 NYSC members were abducted while travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja. The Kogi Police Command later said 11 victims had been rescued, while a search continued for others.

On 31 August, President Tinubu announced that all 15 corps members and six other abducted persons had been rescued from a kidnapper’s den in the forests of Ofu LGA.

A rescued corps member, David Ayodele, subsequently said that the abductors threatened to keep the victims in the forest for one month and kill them. He said the victims were flogged and kicked as they were taken into the bush.

READ ALSO: ‘‘They threatened to kill us’, rescued NYSC member recounts Kogi ordeal

The latest operation also follows an August 9 attack in Ofu LGA, when commuters were abducted along the Ojuwo-Ajengo-Memarebo and Ojiwo-Itobe roads. The Nigerian Army later said 16 victims were rescued after troops engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle near Adumu in Dekina.

Earlier, on 16 July, the Kogi Government announced the rescue of a school principal, a NECO official and two students abducted during an attack on an examination centre in Olowa, Dekina LGA.

Mr Ododo urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts against kidnapping and other crimes in the state.