Three students of the Kogi State Polytechnic kidnapped during a Christian fellowship programme on last Wednesday have been rescued by Kogi State Police Command.
The Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu, told newsmen in Lokoja on Friday while parading their kidnappers that the students were rescued after spending three days with their abductors.
Ojukwu said the students – Ayodele Ojo , Isaac Oaikhena and Sefiat Musa – were rescued from the kidnappers’ hideout along Gadabiu-Kabba Junction, Obajana Road without paying the N20 million ransom demanded.
He said one suspect, Ibrahim Jibo, who was arrested on Thursday when he came to collect the ransom, was already helping the police to arrest his accomplices.
Narrating their ordeal, one of the victims, Ayodele Ojo, said they were kidnapped at the middle of a fellowship prayer at about 7.30pm on October 14 at the Osara Campus.
He said the kidnappers suddenly emerged and collected their mobile hand-held phones, money and other valuables and later abducted three of them.
While in captivity, he said, their abductors called their parents and relations to demand a N20 million ransom for their release, but nothing was forthcoming.
Ojo said the development angered the abductors who started maltreating them before they were rescued three days after.
Ojukwu said the abductors would not escape justice.
He also paraded 23 other suspects arrested for armed robbery, illegal gun manufacturing and political thuggery at Ejule Ofu Local Government Area of the state.
Six guns, including AK47 rifles, locally made guns, bullet proof vests, charms, ammunition, weeds suspected to be Indian hemp and a Ford Galaxy bus with registration number Oyo AH 5095 HK, were recovered.
The Police said all the suspects would be charged to court soon.