Four people abducted during an attack on an examination centre in Olowa, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, have been freed after a joint security operation that stretched through the forest surrounding the town. The victims, a school principal, a NECO official and two students, regained their freedom on Thursday evening after security forces overwhelmed the kidnappers’ hideout and forced them to release their captives and flee.
The breakthrough came hours after Governor Ahmed Ododo, while inspecting newly acquired Armoured Personnel Carriers meant to strengthen the state’s fight against crime, told reporters that his administration was doing everything possible to bring the victims home. Not long after that public assurance, word came that the operation had succeeded.
Commissioner for Information and Communications Kingsley Fanwo explained in a statement that the rescue was the product of an operation the governor ordered immediately after the kidnapping occurred. Ododo had instructed the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (Rtd), to lead a coordinated response drawing on the Nigerian Army’s 12 Brigade and 21 Battalion, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force and local vigilante groups. Together, these forces moved into the forest where the victims were being held.
Fanwo said the pressure security operatives mounted, combined with their sheer numbers spread across the forest, left the kidnappers with little room to maneuver. Rather than risk capture, the criminals abandoned their captives and scattered. He added that operatives have not withdrawn from the forest, since the broader mission to track down the perpetrators is still active. He stated the government’s intention plainly, insisting that anyone in Kogi State who turns to crime will be made to answer for it under the law.
The freed victims are now with security agencies, undergoing debriefing and medical evaluation, and Fanwo described them as being in good health.
The commissioner praised the personnel involved for what he called a display of professionalism and courage, noting that their coordinated response reflects how effective different security agencies can be when they work together against insecurity.
Fanwo also used the statement to thank President Bola Tinubu, crediting him with directing the heads of national security agencies to extend full support to Kogi during the crisis. He said that intervention played a direct role in the successful outcome and expressed the state government’s gratitude for what he called the president’s steady backing.
Looking ahead, Fanwo said the Ododo administration remains committed to clearing the state of criminal elements and pledged continued investment in intelligence gathering, security equipment and cooperation between agencies, all aimed at keeping residents safe.
