Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, Bola Longe, (middle) addressing the press recently.
Collins Agwam – Lafia
A combined security team comprising men of the Anti-Kidnapping squad, SARS and Nigerian Army troop from 117 battalion, Mararaba Udege, Nasarawa State has rescued two of the 10 officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, who were kidnapped on Monday morning in Adoka town, Nasarawa state.
The police say they are in search of the other eight personnel who escaped from the kidnappers’ den when the joint security team invaded the hideout where they were held captive.
A joint security team of the police and Nigerian Army launched an intensive haunt for the kidnappers few hours after the FRSC personnel were kidnapped.
READ : Governor Akeredolu’s loose tongue is fuelled by alcohol – Ondo Deputy Governor
Official report from the FRSC indicates that 26 personnel of the Corps who were traveling from Sokoto and Kebbi States Command to a training programme at the FRSC Academy, Udi, were attacked by the kidnappers.
Two personnel of the Corps died in the attack, four were injured, while 10 were kidnapped by the assailants, a statement by the FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Bisi Kazeem, says.
Advertisement.
The Dune learnt that the kidnapped FRSC officials were taken to a forest in the mountainous area of Adoka town, Nasarawa State, where the kidnappers operate from.
Reliable security source who was privy to the operations narrated how the operation was carried out.
“On getting information about the incident, the Anti-Kidnapping squad of the Nigeria Police Command in the State led by CSP Anietie Eyoh, the State Anti-Robbery Squad led by SP Anuforo Cletus and a troop of the Nigerian Army 117 battalion led by Lieutenant Col. Bello led the joint security team that tracked and attacked the kidnappers.”
“The police deployed drones to track the kidnappers and found them along with the kidnapped FRSC personnel on the side of the mountain in a forest in Adoka. When the security team got to the kidnappers, the assailants opened fire. There was serious exchange of gun fire between government security and the kidnappers. The kidnappers later escaped.”
“However, the security team was able to rescue two personnel of the FRSC, while others had run to safety in the forest during the gun duel.”
Nasarawa, one of Nigeria’s North Central State has recorded scores of high-profile cases of kidnapping in the last four years.
Recall that the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Nasarawa State chapter was kidnapped early this year. A few months later, a village head was shot dead before his pastors who came to pray for him.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa state, CP Bola Longe, has said that the two FRSC personnel rescued during the operation have given police useful information about the incident, saying that the police were still searching for the rest of the kidnapped personnel of the FRSC in the forest.
“The Federal Road Safety Corps officers were kidnapped and in the process, two of them died. By the grace of God, some of them have been rescued.”
“Police men particularly men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Anti-Kidnapping together with men of the Nigerian Army went after them and they dealt with some of the kidnappers seriously. Some of the people kidnapped have escaped. We are still looking for the rest of the kidnapped officers”, he said
He said the Force will not leave any stone unturned until the kidnapped officers are released alive and the criminals arrested and made to face the law.
The Commissioner of Police has appealed to members of the public to continue to support the Police with vital information that will help them rid the State of bandits and kidnappers.
