Edo: 13 abducted Naval Engineering students regain freedom

Five others are still in captivity.

The police in Edo said they have rescued 13 kidnapped students of Naval College of Engineering, Sapele, in the state.

The Edo police spokesman, Kontongs Bello, disclosed this on Wednesday.

He explained that the students were travelling in an 18-seater bus from Kaduna to Sapele when the bus was intercepted by hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers on Ekpoma-Benin Road, Iruekpen in Esan-West Local Government Area of the state.

He said that on receipt of the information, operatives of the command swung into action and rescued 13 of the victims, while one came back from the bush on her own the following day, with five of others still with the kidnappers.

Mr Bello added that efforts have been put in place to rescue the remaining five victims.

He described as fake and misleading the news circulating on social media, especially in some online news portals, that seven naval officers said to be travelling from Kaduna to Delta on Benin-Sapele Road were kidnapped.

“The command wishes to refute this fake and misleading news that is capable of pitting the navy against the police and diverting the attention of the two security agencies from doing their work of protecting lives and property,” he said.

The police spokesman added that none of the reporters of the online media visited him in his office or called him on the phone to confirm any story.

“The closest to the incident is that of the students of Naval College of Engineering, Sapele, who travelled in an 18-seater bus from Kaduna to Sapele.

“The bus was intercepted by hoodlums, suspected to be kidnappers, on Ekpoma-Benin Road, at Iruekpen in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo.

“The command, therefore, enjoins the general public to disregard the fake and misleading news, orchestrated by mischief makers to pit the navy against the police and further create tension among commuters and motorists.

“The command also assures the general public that those behind the fake, fabricated and misleading news will be tracked and made to face the full wrath of the law,” Mr Bello said.