Confluence University of Science and Technology

Richard Elesho

The Kogi State Government has expressed deep shock over the murder of two students of Confluence University of Science and Technology, CUSTECH, Osara. The students were among those abducted from the school on Thursday, 9 May, this year by gunmen.

Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement on Sunday, condemned the action of the hoodlums and reiterated the government’s commitment to the release of the remaining hostages from captivity.

“The Kogi State Government expresses deep shock and sorrow over the callous killing of two of the yet-to-be-released students of the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara. We are heartbroken.

“The State Government was all out to rescue all the students and spared nothing in doing so. Unfortunately, we were able to rescue 21 of them alive. The State Government also mobilized security operatives, including local hunters and conventional security forces, to rescue the remaining students. The kidnappers contacted the families, and while the dialogue for their release was ongoing, the students were killed.

“This is an attack on us as a state, and the killers of our students will not go unpunished. They killed the students at their hideout in Kwara State. We are currently working with security agencies to see how their remaining captives will be released.

“The Kogi State Governor, His Excellency Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo, has also opened dialogue with Governors of the neighboring States on how to make the hideouts of the criminals uncomfortable for them. We thank the Governors of Kwara and Ekiti States for their cooperation and readiness to rid the evil forest of criminals.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. The State Government will support them in every way possible in this dark hour of grief. We also sympathize with the CUSTECH community and the communities of the affected students.

“As a government and a people, we will do everything possible to avert any possible future occurrence and strengthen strategies to ward off evil from our state. We mourn our departed champions. Terror is cowardice for only a coward will attack those seeking knowledge in schools.

“We mourn.”