6 missing as police rescue 99 kidnapped INEC officials in Kogi

Police, yesterday, in Kogi State said they have rescued 99 staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who were kidnapped in the early hour of the day.

The INEC staff were returning from communities in Lokoja 11 state constituency, when they were kidnapped around 2a.m., at Obajana junction, 20 kilometres from the state capital.

The police in a statement by the state's Public Relations Officer, William Anya, said: “On March 19, 2023, INEC officials and ad-hoc staff came under heavy attack by armed hoodlums at Obajana while on their way from Kupa North and South wards to the Constituency Collation Centre in Lokoja. The Police escort attached to the team responded robustly and engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun battle.

“On receipt of the distress call, reinforcement teams were promptly mobilised and sent to the scene, which equally engaged the attackers and owing to the superior fire power of the police, the attackers were forced to flee with injuries. 

“The Commissioner of Police in charge of elections in Kogi State, Yekini Ayoku, led rescue team to the scene for on-the-spot assessment. He later led the evacuation of 96 rescued victims comprising INEC officials, ad-hoc staff, bus drivers and others to the INEC headquarters in Lokoja. While the three injured victims were evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre Lokoja for treatment. 

“The Commissioner of Police has accordingly ordered the deployment of operational and tactical assets of the force to embark on thorough combing of the general area with a view to apprehending the attackers and to rescue the six victims yet to be accounted for.

“The CP further tasked the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department to commence thorough investigation with a view to apprehending the miscreants and bring them to deserved justice."

Meanwhile, Mr. Salisu Ibrahim, one of the bus drivers, who was shot on his right leg during the attack and recuperating at the hospital, said the attackers took them by surprise.

He said: “We were on our way back to Lokoja from Abujor RAC with the results of the House of Assembly election held there, when we were attacked by some people.

“All the six buses moving in a convoy were attacked and in the process many of us sustained injuries.

“Thank God, none of us died in the process but I learnt some corpers are missing."

Mr. Dare Owofadaju, a youth corps member who was shot on his left thigh, said: “It is only God that kept us alive considering the way and manner the gunmen attacked us.”

Culled from Vanguard