The Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has commenced a detailed investigation into the abduction of a female student of the state-owned Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia, and the shooting of two other students and an admission seeker.
Heavily armed men had on Monday night attacked Ombi 1, a residential area for students, which is two kilometers away from the polytechnic, and whisked the student to an unknown destination.
The kidnappers seized the student after attacking others during a shooting spree which lasted for about an hour.
Confirming the incident to our correspondent in Lafia on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ramhan Nansel, explained that officers of the command rushed to the scene of the attack as soon as police officers in the area received information about the incident.
He said, “Yesterday around 10:30pm, a distress call was received that an armed robbery attack was taking place in a house at Ombi 1, Lafia.
“Upon receipt of the report, policemen were immediately drafted to the scene. On arrival, it was discovered that three people were injured. The victims were rushed by the police to the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, for treatment.
“Upon their (officers) return to the scene of the incident, it was later discovered that one person was missing. The command has launched a detailed investigation into the case.”
Nansel added that police personnel of the command were currently on the trail of the hoodlums to ensure that the victim was rescued unhurt.
However, investigation by PUNCH Metro revealed that a female student simply identified as Taye Ajoke, an ND II student of the Science Laboratory Technology Department of the polytechnic was whisked away at exactly 9:20pm on Monday night by the gunmen.
Others who sustained bullet wounds are Freedom Luka, an HND I student of Public Administration; Ogwuche Janet, an HND II student of Business Administration and Management; and Danladi Nicholas, a male seeking admission into the polytechnic.
Meanwhile, one of the occupants of the rented hostel, Love and Peace Lodge, which is located outside the school premises where Ajoke was abducted by the bandits, told our correspondent that her abductors had called to demand a N50m ransom.
The source narrated that the gunmen placed a call to Ajoke’s phone on Tuesday morning and demanded for the money, adding that the bandits did not listen to their appeal when they narrated that they were students and had no money to pay for the ransom.
The source said, “It took the police over one hour to get here. By that time, the gunmen had already taken Ajoke away through a bush road. When the police arrived, they helped in rushing the three wounded people to the hospital for treatment.
“They actually sustained gunshot wounds, and are presently receiving treatment in a government hospital. But today (Tuesday), at exactly 7am, we got a call from the kidnappers. They called through Ajoke’s phone that is with us, and they are demanding for N50m to release her from captivity.
“We pleaded with them to understand that we do not have money as we were still in school, but they didn’t agree with our appeal. Instead, they demanded that we call them back when we are ready to discuss the matter.”
