By joshua “KOGI IS A NO-GO AREA FOR CRIMINALS” – GOV ODODO VOWS AS POLICE RESCUE 4 ABDUCTED NECO CANDIDATES, OFFICIAL IN DEKINA
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has vowed that his administration will deal “ruthlessly” with criminals, declaring the state a no-go area for kidnappers and other criminal elements.
The Governor spoke on Friday in Lokoja shortly after the Kogi State Police Command announced the rescue of four persons abducted from Government Secondary School, Olowa Agbajo, Dekina LGA, during the ongoing NECO examinations.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, psc, mni, said all four victims were rescued alive at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, 16th July, 2026, following days of joint bush-combing operations.
The victims are:
1. Elder Daniel Iyanda – School Principal
2. Mr. Solomon Peter – NECO Official
3. Miss Dorcas Sunday – Candidate
4. Miss Dorcas – Candidate, surname unknown
CP Kankarofi said armed kidnappers attacked the school on Tuesday, 14th July, 2026, where a “purported examination centre” was operating for ten special NECO candidates.
He said he personally led a team including Brigadier General Kasim Sidi, Commander 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, and Commander Jerry Omodara (Rtd), State Security Adviser, to the scene. Tactical teams of the *Police, Army, DSS, NSCDC, vigilantes and hunters were later deployed across forests and adjoining communities.
“The victims have since been reunited with the appropriate authorities and are receiving the necessary care and support. We thank God that no life was lost,” the CP stated.
Governor Ododo commended the security agencies for their “tact and professionalism” which led to the rescue.
He lamented that despite the state’s free education policy, some individuals allegedly registered students in the abandoned school for “sinister motives” of running an illegal examination centre.
“As they come in their numbers, they will either not leave the State, or will leave in their few numbers. Kogi is not a safe haven for criminals,” Ododo said.
“We will not negotiate with criminals or pay ransom.”
The Governor disclosed that after investigations, “no matter how highly placed,” anyone found culpable will face the full weight of the law.
CP Kankarofi said preliminary findings showed the Government Secondary School, Olowa Agbajo, had earlier been shut down by the Kogi State Government due to its isolated location and security risks.
“Information available indicates that the abandoned premises may have been unlawfully used as a ‘special examination centre’. There are also allegations that the classroom had gained notoriety as a venue for examination malpractice,” he said.
He warned that public examinations must only be held in *approved, secure, and duly authorized centres*. “Security must never be compromised for convenience or personal gain,” he added.
The CP appreciated IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu for operational support and Governor Ododo for backing the operation. He said efforts are ongoing to track and arrest those responsible for the abduction.
The briefing was held on Friday, 17th July, 2026 in Lokoja.