Bandits Storm CUSTECH
Bandits Storm CUSTECH, Osara, Abducting Students During Exam Preparations.
Bandits on Thursday night invaded the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTEC), Osara, Okene in Kogi, and abducted some students.
An eyewitness account indicated that the bandits swooped on the university around 9.00 p.m. while the students were reading for their upcoming exams.
The source said that the bandits came in through the bush, went into three lecture halls and began to shoot into the air to scare the students.
“They trapped the students inside the halls and started taking them; the school was thrown into total confusion as fear-stricken students in other halls scurried to safety, scampering in various directions.
“By the time local security guards and the conventional security men at the gate engaged the bandits, they had already succeeded in abducting some students.
“But the efforts minimised the damage as the attackers didn’t go beyond the first three halls,” the source said.
According to the source, the students were preparing for their first-semester examination expected to commence on Monday, May 13, when the bandits struck.
A student, who craved anonymity, said that he and some colleagues ran to the bush and hid there for “more than an hour”.
“We only ventured out when everywhere became quiet,” he said.
Contacted, CUSTEC Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdulraman Asipita, confirmed the incident but refused to give details of the number of students abducted.
I want you to know that we are on top of the situation.
However, the Kogi State Government through its Commissioner of Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo has said the situation is being promptly responded to as Governor Alhaji Usman Ododo has directed the immediate activation of all security apparatus including vigilantes and local hunters who are vast with the terrain of the area to see that the criminal elements a tracked down and students returned to safety. The commissioner assured parents and the public that everything will be done to rescue the kidnapped students.
He added, the exact number of students abducted yet to ascertained at the moment.
This is to inform the general public that Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara experienced an unfortunate security incidence on Thursday 9th May, 2024 around 8:23 p.m.
Some of our students who were gathered for tutorials ahead of their First Semester Examinations scheduled to commence on Monday 13th May, 2024 were abducted. The exact number of our students involved is being ascertained at the moment.
His Excellency, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State and the State Security Adviser, Cmdr. Jerry Omodara as well as the Vice Chancellor, Engr. Prof. Abdulrahaman Asipita Salawu together with the Management Staff swung into action immediately they got wind of the unpleasant news by deploying members of various security agencies on rescue mission.
His Excellency, Alh. Usman Ahmed Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State has directed that CUSTECH will remain in session and that the students abducted will be returned back unhurt.
We want to allay the fears of the public and also assure parents and guardians of our dear students that must have been involved in the incident that no stone will be left unturned till we have them back safely into our fold at CUSTECH. We do understand the present anxiety that this has generated based on this, parents who wants their wards out of the campus can go ahead with such a decision as lectures and examinations are kept on hold for now till further notice. We are assuring parents and guardians who will want their children to remain on campus not to fret over their safety as the situation is under control at the moment.
