Kogi State University Mourns Students killed by Abductors

The Kogi State Confluence University of Science and Technology, has called for a three-day mourning for two of its students who died in kidnappers’ den.

The university, in a statement by the Registrar, Olufunke Hudson, on Monday expressed sadness over the development.

According to the statement, “It is with deep pain that the management of the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara hereby declares three days of mourning over the death of two of our students who were kidnapped on Thursday, 9th May, and killed on Saturday, 25th May, 2024,” the registrar said.

Recall that the gunmen kidnapped an unspecified number of students attending a tutorial class in preparation for their first semester examination in the university.

As of May 17, security agencies were able to rescue 21 of them.
According to the statement, "The kidnappers abandoned the students during a gun duel with security personnel deploy to the campus"

On May 16, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the deployment of police helicopter to Kogi State for the rescue of the remaining students with the kidnappers.

However, in a statement on Sunday, a non-governmental organisation, Education for All, hinted that two of the students remaining in captivity had been killed by the kidnappers.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary,   Nasir Ibrahim, the NGO identified the killed students as James Michael Anajuwe, a 100-level Information Technology student; and Musa Hussein, a 100-level Software Engineering student.

“It is sad that the criminals killed two of the students who were not among the 21 rescued through the operation coordinated by the Kogi State Government,” the NGO said.

“This is sad, callous and a call for collective action against attackers of educational institutions.

“We are aware that parents of the students were negotiating with the kidnappers which slowed down the offensive on the kidnappers by security agencies so as not to endanger the lives of the captives.

“We were very hopeful and optimistic that they would be released at the end of the negotiations. (But) information reaching us shows that the students allegedly killed were James Michael Anajuwe, a 100-level Information Technology student and Musa Hussein, a 100-level Software Engineering student of the University. They were allegedly killed at the kidnappers’ hideout in Kwara State.

The development was confirmed by the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Bertrand Onuoha.

He said, “Yes, two of them were found to have been shot this morning.”