Soldier killed, Chinese national rescued after foiled kidnap in Kogi

Tragedy struck early Monday morning in Ogaminana, Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, as gunmen suspected to be kidnappers launched a deadly attack on a construction site, killing a soldier and abducting a Chinese national.

According to local sources, the heavily armed attackers stormed the construction site around dawn, targeting workers under military protection. In the process, a soldier assigned to guard the site was fatally shot, and the kidnappers forcefully whisked away a Chinese expatriate working with the company.

The gunmen’s escape, however, was cut short. Eyewitnesses revealed that the kidnappers abandoned their getaway vehicle near the Radio Kogi Booster Station at Otite—just a few meters from the crime scene—after a rapid response team gave them a hot pursuit.

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A combined team of military personnel, police operatives, local hunters, and vigilante groups reportedly chased the suspects through the area’s dense terrain. Their swift action led to the rescue of the abducted foreign national, who was found and safely recovered shortly after the incident.

“The joint task force are still combing the bushes around the area for possible arrest of the criminals.

“The soldiers on duty tried their best to repel the criminals, but they were overpowered, by their numbers. There is need for the authorities to draft more men to the area and other flash points in the area,” the source said.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Kogi State Command, SP William Ovye Aya, said he was still awaiting the report from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area for detailed information about the incident.