20th July, 2022
Richard Elesho
The Kogi State Police Commissioner, CP Edward Egbuka has said that the 10 Police officers allegedly kidnapped while returning from Osun Governorship election escaped from abductors and have since returned to their offices.
The Nasarawa State Police Command had on Sunday, 17 July, reported that ten officers were kidnapped by gunmen on their way back from election duty in Osun.
A police source stated that the officers were kidnapped at Obajana, in Kogi, on Sunday.
“On 17 July 2022, at about 11:05 am, information was received from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Obajana, that gunshots were heard along the New By-Pass Road, close to Trailer Park, PTI Obajana.
“The DPO immediately mobilized patrol teams to the scene, where they met a white 18-seater bus with the registration number, GWA 295 YR, driven by Usman Abdullah with six other passengers.
“The seven persons identified themselves as officers from Nasarawa State Police Command returning from the Osun governorship election.
“They narrated that their vehicle developed a mechanical fault, and while trying to fix the vehicle, armed men emerged from the bush and kidnapped ten officers,” he added.
However the Kogi state Commissioner of Police CP Edward Egbuka while speaking on the issue on Wednesday explained that truly the convoy of the officers was attacked by the bandits.
He added that when they were attacked, the officers escaped into the bush to avoid being kidnapped.
But he added that at the end of the incident, all the ten officers have finally joined their colleagues in Nassarawa State.
The Kogi State Police Command Public Relations Officer William Ayah had earlier disclosed to our correspondent that another video treading that some passengers were kidnapped in Kogi state was not true.
He said that incident never took place in Kogi state territory.