Four people abducted during Tuesday’s attack on a school in Odo-Ekina, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State have been rescued, the Kogi State Government has announced.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, the rescued victims include the school principal, a National Examination Council (NECO) ad hoc official and two students. They are receiving medical checks and undergoing security debriefing.

The victims were kidnapped when gunmen attacked the school during the conduct of NECO examinations. The Kogi Government said their rescue followed a coordinated security operation ordered by Governor Usman Ododo immediately after the incident.

Fanwo said sustained pressure from security forces and the deployment of heavily armed personnel into the forest forced the kidnappers to abandon the victims and flee.

He added that security operatives remain in the forest as efforts continue to track down the fleeing suspects, stressing that the government is determined to ensure those responsible face justice.

The commissioner said Governor Ododo had directed the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (Rtd), to coordinate the rescue mission shortly after the attack.

The Kogi Government commended the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, local security operatives and other agencies involved in the operation, describing the rescue as evidence of effective inter-agency collaboration against insecurity.

Fanwo also thanked President Bola Tinubu for directing security agencies to provide the state with the necessary support to secure the victims’ release.