Kogi condemns killing of abducted students | Varsity declares 3-day mourning

The Kogi government has condemned the killing of two of the abducted students of Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Osara.

On May 9, gunmen invaded the university and abducted students who were preparing for their examinations.

On May 14, Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi state commissioner for information, said 20 students were rescued with four still in captivity.

On Sunday, the Kogi police command said two of the abducted students have been killed.

The deceased students have been identified as James Michael-Anajuwe and Musa Hussein, first year students of information technology and software engineering respectively.

In a statement on Sunday, Fanwo said the state government expressed “deep shock and sorrow” over the killing of the students.

He disclosed that the kidnappers had made contact with the families of the victims, adding that the abducted students were killed with dialogue ongoing.

“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,” Fanwo said.

“We are currently working with security agencies to see how the remaining captives will be released.

“Already, our governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, has opened dialogue with governors of the neighbouring states on how to make the hideouts of the criminals uncomfortable for them.

“We thank the governors of Kwara and Ekiti 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.”

THREE DAYS OF MOURNING

CUSTECH management has declared three days of mourning in honour of the slain students.

Olufunke Hudson, the university registrar, said all activities in the university should be “low-key” from May 27 to May 29.

The registrar said the university management sympathised with families of the deceased.

“It is with deep shock and pain that the management of CUSTECH is mourning our beloved slain students,” the registrar said.

“Consequently, all activities in the university are to be held low-key from May 27 to May 29 in memory of our departed students.”