Bandits kill 2 kidnapped Kogi varsity students in captivity

Bandits have killed two of the abducted students of Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara in the Okene area of Kogi State.

The killing of the students was confirmed by the Kogi State Commissioner of Police Bethrand Onuoha on Sunday, May 26, 2024.

Onuoha described the students’ killing by the abductors as “very unfortunate”.

The police commissioner, who did not give further details, said security operatives were on the trail of the bandits to bring them to book.

It would be recalled that bandits invaded the university at about 9 p.m. on May 9 while the students were studying in their classes ahead of their examinations slated for May 13 and abducted some students.

Although security agencies had rescued 21 of the abducted students with the help of local hunters, other abducted students are still in captivity.

Another 6 abducted Kogi varsity students regain freedom

Meanwhile, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Education For All (E4A), has condemned the killing of the students despite ongoing negotiations with the parents to pay ransom for their release.

The Publicity Secretary of the NGO, Nasir Ibrahim, in a statement on Sunday, described the killing of the students by bandits as the height of callousness.

Ibrahim noted the kidnappers were out to scare young people from going to school, which, he said, was unfortunate.

He said: “It is sad that the criminals killed two of the students who were not among the 21 rescued through the operation coordinated by the Kogi government.

“This is sad, callous and a call for collective action against attackers of educational institutions.

“We are aware that parents of the students were negotiating with the kidnappers which slowed down the offensive on the kidnappers by security agencies so as not to endanger the lives of the captives.

“We were very hopeful and optimistic that they will be released at the end of the negotiations.”

The Star