Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has received eight students of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Osara who were rescued by security operatives in a dense forest in Kwara state over the weekend.
The students who were received by the Kogi State Governor at the headquarters of the Nigerian Army in Abuja had undergone psychological evaluation and confirmed fit to be reunited with their families.
Speaking at the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Governor Ododo expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for leading from the front in the fight against terrorism and other violent crimes in Nigeria.
The Governor commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the leadership of the Nigerian Army, the Police, Department of State Services, the Civil Defense and the local vigilante Service as well as local hunters for the successful operation that led to the safe return of the eight CUSTECH students.
The Governor who called for collaboration among state governments and security agencies to tackle insecurity in Nigeria, praised the effort of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State for his unflinching support and synergy in the joint efforts to wipe out criminals from border communities between Kogi and Kwara states which have become hideouts for criminals in recent months.
While expressing sympathy for the families of two of the abducted students who died in the hands of the abductors, Ododo promised to keep Kogi state unsafe for criminals.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taureed Lagbaja, represented by the Deputy Chief of Army Operations, Major General Emmanuel Emeka noted that the military intervention in the rescue operation was a signal that the Nigerian government will continue to protect citizens of the country in every situation.
He commended the collaboration between the army and other security agencies that led to the safe rescue of the students, assuring that the operation will continue until the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice.
The eight CUSTECH students were later handed over to the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdulrahaman Asipita Salawu to be reunited with their family members.
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