…As Inter-Agency Collaboration Foils Kidnappers’ Escape
Emmanuel Ikpeama
The Kogi State Government has revealed that the swift rescue of four abducted examination officials and students in Dekina Local Government Area was made possible by the immediate directive issued by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and the coordinated efforts of security agencies across the state.
The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed this while explaining the circumstances surrounding the successful rescue operation following the recent attack on an unauthorized NECO examination centre in Olowa, Dekina Local Government Area.
According to Fanwo, Governor Ododo wasted no time in responding to the incident, immediately summoning the State Security Adviser and issuing a firm marching order to ensure that all the victims were rescued without delay.
He said the governor directed the State Security Adviser to coordinate a comprehensive rescue operation involving the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), local vigilante groups and hunters.
Fanwo explained that security operatives quickly mobilised to the forest where the victims were being held, deploying intelligence gathering and technology to track the kidnappers while sealing off their known escape routes.
“The governor immediately summoned the State Security Adviser and mandated him to coordinate security efforts to ensure the victims were rescued. Within hours, the Army, Police, DSS, Civil Defence, vigilantes and local hunters had saturated the area. Technology was also deployed to monitor the kidnappers’ movements while all their exit routes were blocked, cutting off their logistics,” he said.
The Commissioner noted that the sustained pressure mounted by the combined security forces left the kidnappers with little choice but to abandon their captives as they struggled to evade the intensive operation.
He stressed that the rescue mission did not end with the recovery of the victims, adding that security personnel immediately launched a follow-up operation to track down those responsible for the abduction.
Fanwo also commended the Chairman of Dekina Local Government Area for effectively coordinating the local security architecture, describing the collaboration between security agencies and community-based security outfits as a major strength in Kogi State’s fight against crime.
He said the synergy among the Army’s 12 Brigade in Lokoja, the 21 Battalion in Ayingba, the DSS, the Police, the NSCDC, local vigilantes and hunters has continued to enhance the state’s capacity to respond swiftly to security threats.
The Commissioner further disclosed that Governor Ododo had earlier on Thursday inspected newly procured armoured tactical vehicles acquired by the state government to strengthen ongoing security operations against criminal elements.
While inspecting the vehicles, the governor assured residents that the abducted victims would soon regain their freedom. According to Fanwo, that assurance was fulfilled only a few hours later when news of the successful rescue emerged.
He reaffirmed the Kogi State Government’s commitment to sustaining its security strategy through intelligence-led operations, inter-agency cooperation and continued investment in security infrastructure to ensure the safety of lives and property across the state.
