The Kogi State Government has said two of the National Examinations Council candidates abducted during Tuesday’s attack on Government Secondary School, Olowa, in Dekina Local Government Area were writing their examinations at what it described as a “miracle centre.”
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The government, however, said it had launched a large-scale multi-agency security operation to rescue the remaining four victims still in captivity.
The operation, ordered by Governor Usman Ododo, is being coordinated by the State Security Adviser, retired Commander Jerry Omodara, with the involvement of all security and intelligence agencies operating in the state.
Those still being held include the Principal of Government Secondary School, Olowa, Elder Daniel Iyanaa; a NECO official, Solomon Audu; a NECO candidate, Dorcas Sunday; and another female candidate identified simply as Dorcas, whose surname has yet to be confirmed.
The state government disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo.
According to the statement, five people were initially abducted during the attack, but one victim has since been rescued while security agencies intensify efforts to secure the release of the remaining captives.
The government said troops of the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Lokoja; the 21 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Anyigba; operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Kogi State Vigilante Service, local hunters and other security outfits had all been deployed for the rescue mission.
It added that advanced technology was also being deployed and that the operation was making encouraging progress.
Giving an update on preliminary investigations, the state government said the examination centre where the abduction occurred was located in a remote and vulnerable area and was allegedly being used as a “miracle” centre for external candidates.
According to the government, the two female candidates involved were not regular students of Government Secondary School, Olowa, while the examination arrangements did not comply with the security framework established by the state to safeguard candidates writing the ongoing NECO examinations.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the examination centre, located in a remote and vulnerable area, was being used as a ‘miracle’ centre for external candidates.
“The two female candidates involved were not regular students of Government Secondary School, Olowa, and the examination arrangements did not align with the security framework put in place by the Kogi State Government to protect candidates writing the ongoing NECO examinations across the state.”
Despite the findings, the government stressed that it remained committed to rescuing all the victims.
“The victims are our people, and the government will spare no effort in ensuring their safe rescue and the arrest of those responsible for the crime,” Fanwo stated.
The government said it would not release further operational details to avoid jeopardising the rescue effort.
“To protect the integrity of the ongoing operation, the Government will not disclose further operational details at this time.
“Residents of Olowa and surrounding communities are urged to cooperate with security personnel by providing credible information and complying with security directives,” the statement read.
It added that the state would continue working closely with security agencies until all the victims were safely reunited with their families.
PUNCH Online had earlier reported that gunmen attacked Government Secondary School, Odo-Ekina, in Dekina Local Government Area on Tuesday while candidates were writing the ongoing NECO examination, abducting the school principal, a NECO ad hoc staff member and four students.
The Kogi State Police Command confirmed that one of the abducted students had since been rescued, while efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims and apprehend the attackers.
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