Bandit Attacks: Kogi Gov Personally Coordinating Rescue Efforts Of Kidnapped Children, Others – Commissioner

Kingsley Fanwo, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, has assured residents that the three underage children and three workers of West Africa Ceramic Company kidnapped in the Ajaokuta Local Government area of the state would be rescued unhurt.

The LGA had come under threat following a series of attacks witnessed by residents.

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Fanwo, in a statement sent to THE WHISTLER on Saturday, said Governor Yahaya Bello was “personally coordinating the rescue efforts” in collaboration with the security agencies and local vigilante groups in the state.

The children aged three, five, and ten years were reportedly kidnapped on Wednesday at their residences located in the Kaduna Estate Ajaokuta Steel Township complex.

Abductors of the children had contacted the victims’ family demanding N100 million ransom.

Speaking in the statement, Fanwo said: “Immediately the unfortunate report was brought to the attention of the State Government, our administration has spread our security net in working with the conventional security agencies and local vigilante groups to ensure the abducted children are rescued alive and the cowards who abducted them brought to book.

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“In as much as we would not want to divulge everything about the current operations to rescue the children unhurt which we know will be achieved very soon, we wish to assure Kogi residents that Government will remain vigilant in protecting the people. We will continue to work with security agencies to retain our enviable position as the safest state in the country today.

“We urge the people of Ajaokuta and indeed, Kogi State, in general, to go about their normal businesses as we have put in place, stringent security measures to ensure the safety of all. The government will spare no resource to ensure our cherished children are rescued alive and unhurt. The Governor is personally coordinating the rescue efforts in collaboration with the security chiefs in the state as well as local vigilante groups. There is already a massive deployment to the area to achieve results,” he said.

On Friday, workers of the West Africa Ceramic Company, Ajaokuta, which included Indian expatriates, were ambushed by unknown gunmen who reportedly killed six of them and abducted three others.

Reacting to the Friday attack on ceramic company workers, Fanwo described the incident as “unfortunate and condemnable,” adding that “The Police and other security agencies are currently combing the area to apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous act. Investigations are still at an early stage now. We will rely on those reports when they are clearer and ready.

He said, “As a Government, we have the capacity to rise to the challenge to defend our people. Security has been beefed up around the area and the affected company is cooperating with law enforcement agents to unravel the mystery behind the attack.

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“We won’t succumb to the violence of criminals. We have been defeating the criminals before and we will defeat them again. Kogi is a no-go area to criminals”.

The commissioner urged the media, community leaders, political actors, and other residents of Kogi to support the state government in its efforts to keep the state safe.

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