Lagos Model College student kidnappers wrote letter of imminent visit, reports say

The kidnappers of six Senior Secondary School students of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, in Epe area, had reportedly earlier written a letter to the school warning of their imminent visit reports say.

Sources also revealed that the kidnappers had also attempted to carry out their operation on Wednesday night as they paraded the waterways for two weeks, showcasing their fire power but were foiled by policemen on standby.

According to a witness, “they attempted to scale the school fence on Friday night when private guards alerted policemen that were stationed around. The gun shots from the policemen scared them away”.

However, the kidnappers, numbering up to 15, who according to police were suspected to be members of a militant kidnap gang that had carried out several kidnappings, armed robbery and the killings of security agents around Lagos and Ogun state, had their way as early as 5:00am on Thursday.

Read also: BORNO: Police foil suicide bomb attacks, kill 3 suspects

The kidnappers who reportedly accessed the school through Imeru/Iji waterways, purportedly bore a hole in the school fence, through which they gained entry into the premises initially kidnapping 10 students from their hostel.

However, the kidnappers later released four of the kidnapped students at a bush path leading to the abductors’ waiting boats, while six others (4 SS1 students and 2 JSS 1 students) were whisked into the kidnappers speed boats which sped off immediately.

Speaking through the command’s spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni visited the scene of crime yesterday, said investigation and rescue operation into the kidnappings have commenced.

He said; “Today, (yesterday) at about 5am, Pyrates/Kidnappers gained entrance into Igbonla Model School, Igbonla, near Epe and abducted six students.

“Investigation and rescue operation have commenced with a visit to the affected school by a police team. From the visit, it was discovered that the criminal elements used the Imeru/Iji waterway to access the swampy forest bordering the School, bore a hole on a part of the school fence to gain entrance,’’ the CP added.

Recall last year that four students and two staff of the school were abducted in the month of October.

 

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now