By Correspondent in Lokoja.
A Kogi-based medical doctor, Dr Rukayat Musa, who was kidnapped on June 21, 2022 has regained freedom after spending five days in the den of her kidnappers.
Our Correspondent recalls that Musa was kidnapped on Geregu-Ajaokuta stretch of Geregu Ajaokuta- Lokoja road while returning from an official assignment at Anyigba in Kogi State.
The Nigerian Medical Association, (NMA), Kogi State chapter, confirmed Musa’s release in a communique it issued at the end of its Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) in Lokoja.
The communique, signed by the State NMA Chairman,Dr Abubakar Hassan and Secretary,Dr Chimezie Udebuani, said that Dr Musa was released on Saturday unhurt, after five harrowing days with the kidnappers in the forest.
The association decried security situation in the state,a development it noted made some of its members to leave the state.
” Kidnapping of medical doctors and health professionals in Kogi State has capacity to disrupt medical and healthcare services and also create tension amongst the practitioners,”it said.
The association called on the State Government to immediately step up effort at supporting the security agencies to upgrade their capacity to deal with kidnapping in the State.
NMA stressed the need to reverse insecurity in the State so that the other achievements of government would not be irrelevant.
Meanwhile,a combined team of Men of Professional and Local Hunter, in the early hours of Sunday, killed two kidnappers during an operation in Okehi Local Governnent Area of the state.
King Habib,the Special Assistant to local government Chairman, made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday in the local government area, adding that one of the criminals died during a shootout with the hunters group while the other who received gunshots wounds died on the way to the hospital.
The Reporters recalls that the Area Command of the Police, few days ago, was attacked by “Hoodlums” during which the police lost an inspector.
The special assistant also revealed that the operation by the hunters led to the rescue of two abductees held captive by terrorists at Upogoro Hills.
He gave the names of the victims as Mallam Sanni Uwaiti and Ramatu Tukur both of toll gate area along Okene and Ajoakuta axis, adding that the hunters recovered arms and ammunition belonging to the kidnappers.
Giving more light on what led to the killing of the kidnappers,he said:” His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Executive Governor of Kogi State had directed the Okehi Local Government Council Chairman to swing into action and make Okehi LG and its environs more safe.
” In line with his directive, Men of Professional Hunters and Local hunters in Okehi LG led an early morning operation and apprehended some kidnappers at Upogoro hill, upon credible intelligence reports from men of Okehi LG Joint Taskforce.
“The gang has been terrorizing Okene-Lokoja road and Okene-Auchi road before being nabbed.
“One of the kidnappers was shot dead during exchange of gun fire and one was apprehended who later give up before arriving hospital.”
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
