The police in Nigeria's Edo State have confirmed the rescue of three female students of Ambrose Alli University who had been abducted by suspected kidnappers. The three were seized during an attack on the Ujama and GT extension area on Sunday, and have now been freed in a joint security operation. Their release brings to an end an ordeal that had caused alarm in the university community, and the rescued students have since been taken for medical attention.
According to the state police command, the abduction followed the fatal shooting of a 300-level student, Peter Adolok, who was hit by gunfire during the attack. His killing turned what was already a violent assault into a deadly one, and underlined the danger posed by the gunmen as they descended on the area, opened fire and seized the three female students before fleeing with them into the surrounding bush.
The rescue came after a joint security team located the kidnappers' hideout in the ERA Forest and engaged the criminals in a fierce gun battle. According to the police, the superior tactical response of the security operatives forced the kidnappers to abandon their captives and flee. That allowed the three abducted students to be recovered alive from the forest, rather than being held for a prolonged period or moved deeper into hiding.
Once freed, the three Ambrose Alli University students were rushed to hospital, where they are said to be receiving medical attention. The police say the priority now is their recovery and wellbeing, while the security agencies continue their efforts to track down the members of the gang who managed to escape when the operatives closed in on the hideout during the operation.
The operation also produced a significant recovery of weapons. According to the police, three AK-47 rifles, along with their magazines and 36 rounds of live ammunition, were seized during the raid on the hideout. One suspected kidnapper was neutralized in the exchange of fire, while another was arrested, dealing a blow to the gang even as some of its members managed to slip away from the scene.
Addressing journalists, the spokesperson for the state police command, Enoi Koedem, set out the details of the rescue and the circumstances surrounding it. She said the rescued students were receiving medical care, and that efforts were still ongoing to apprehend the remaining members of the gang who fled when the security operatives moved in on their position in the forest.
The abduction of the Ambrose Alli University students, and the killing of Peter Adolok during the same attack, add to wider concerns over the safety of students and residents in parts of Nigeria. The rescue of the three young women alive, together with the recovery of weapons and the neutralizing of one of the attackers, will bring some relief, even as the hunt continues for those still at large who took part in the assault.