From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
Three students of the newly established Kogi State University of Science and technology, Itakpe including a female student identified as Jumai and a lecturer were in the early hours of today (Monday) kidnapped.
According to an eye witness account the students and the lecturer were kidnapped while returning from a night vigil at the Living Faith Church Osara, a distance of about five minutes drive from their school .
The kidnappers who were said to be carrying assorted dangerous weapons including Ak 47 riffles were said to have swooped on them at the Abuja- Lokoja – Okene highway on their way back to school and forcefully dragged them into the forest.
Kogi State University of Science and technology, Itakpe was established in 2020 and the students kidnapped are one of the pioneer students.
A community leader in Osara who does not want his name in print confirmed the incident and described the highway as ‘ very dangerous to ply for motorists’ especially those on night journeys
He said in this year alone, not less than 12 cases of robbery and kidnaping have been recorded in the area and said the communities living around the highway are daily living in fear
He also called on the state government, the police and other security agencies in the state to do more to arrest the security situation in the state.
One of the principal staff of the new institution who does not want to be mentioned also confirmed the incident and said the university community has been thrown into panic as a result of the incident.
When contacted, the police public relations officer, Willy Aya said he was yet to be briefed about the incident and promised to contact our Correspondent later.