Police rescue kidnapped students in Benue
…victims said they went through hell in the hands of captors
From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
Benue State Police command has secured the release of 13 persons recently kidnapped by bandits in Otukpo local government.
Out of this number, eight were students who were traveling to write the University Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
The State of Police Commissioner, Ifeanyi Enemari presented the rescued victims to Governor Hyacinth Alia at the Government House, Makurdi on Sunday.
He said intense pressure was mounted on the bandits since the incident occured last week Wednesday.
CP Enemari said the police widened their scope of operation and rescued the victims through the prompt intervention of the Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, who deployed police intelligence team to the State
He added that other sister security agencies as well as the Governor supported immensely in ensuring the rescue of the victims.
He said that 8 suspects have been apprehended with 7 of them connected to the abduction.
“The Governor had earlier directed the Police to clear the forest of bandits and on that clearance exercise, our men are already in Logo and Guma.
“We will not tolerate banditry and kidnappers. We will deal decisively with elements lurking in our bushes,” the commissioner of police said.
In his remarks, Governor Alia commended the Police and other security agencies for their efforts in the rescue of operation.
He said that the area between Taraku and Otukpo have been a frontline haven for kidnappers, recalling that recently 20 medical students, 17 women from Oju who were travelling to the South West, and 9 parishioners in Utonkon, Ado LGA, as well as 13 victins in Katsina-Ala were rescued.
Governor Alia said these bandits who have been identified as herdsmen, would be flushed out.
He said, “We cannot accommodate anything that trouble our peace. I call on the Police to comb thoroughly all the forested areas and ensure that all accomplices are flushed out.
” I Appreciate the IGP who deployed his tactical team to achieve this result. I also sympathize with the Gwest West people where there was an attack. I call on the Police to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended.
“I call on the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB to reschedule the exams for these 8 students and government will take full responsibility for them.”
Narrating her ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers, Akor Odinakachukwu Jessica said, “on the 15th April, I left Makurdi at about 6 pm to Otukpo where I was slated to write JAMB by 6 am. At about 8 pm I did not know the location but our bus showed signs of breaking down. Some persons stopped the vehicle and ordered all of us to come down. Some were reluctant to go down and they hit me on my lap and I came down.
“They took us into the bush until 2 am before we rested that day. The next day at about 4 am, they woke us up to go and drink water from a lake which cows also drink from. We drank it with joy because we were very thirsty. They kept changing location and we kept walking long distance as they flogged us.
“They gave us phones on Thursday evening around 7pm to call our parents and pay ransom of N10 million for each of us. They warned that if our parents do not pay tbe ransom we would all die.
“When we are hungry, they would mix Garri in custard containers, pour water and salt, mix it with the hands and ask us to eat. We went through that in the forest”.
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