Police rescue abducted Islamic school students, search for nine others
Security Forces Rescue 17 Pupils in Kogi State
KOGI STATE — Security forces have successfully rescued 17 pupils who had been kidnapped from an orphanage and Islamic school in Zariagi, Lokoja, Kogi State. The rescue operation followed several days of coordinated efforts by law enforcement, which intensified after the abduction was reported on April 27.
According to reports from Zagazola Makama, the rescued individuals include Sultan, Zeidah, Ahmed, Yusuf, Farooq, Museen, Mustapha, Hasheem, Mohammed, Toheer, Abdulmumin, Abdulazeem, Mahmud, Ameerah, Firdaus, Tabarakallah, and Ibrahim.
Despite the rescue, nine victims remain in captivity, including Habibullah, Shakir, Ahmed, Abdulhammed, Mubarak, Sultannah, Zulaiha, and two women, identified as the wives of the school owner, Nana-Hawa and Halimat.
Authorities have ramped up operations to locate the remaining hostages. Security personnel are currently searching nearby forests and tracking the suspected kidnappers. Additional forces have been deployed to critical areas, and stop-and-search missions are ongoing along major routes, including Kabba Junction and Zariagi.
The abduction involved a total of 23 students from the facility, which the government has stated operates illegally.
