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