The Kogi government on Sunday described as “crude and shocking” the gruesome killing of two students kidnapped at the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, near Okene.

The students were among those kidnapped on May 9, when the abductors stormed the school around 9:00 p.m. and shot sporadically before grabbing them from the classes.

At the time, the students were reading for their examinations slated to commence on May 13.

About 21 had been released, and negotiations were ongoing toward the release of the remaining when information filtered in on Saturday that two had been murdered.

Information commissioner Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement, expressed the state government’s “deep shock and sorrow” over the killing of the students.

“The state government was all out to rescue all the students and spared nothing in its bid to achieve that. This gruesome murder is regrettable and reprehensible,” he said.

Regretting the death of the two students, the commissioner explained that the kidnappers had contacted the families, “but while the dialogue for their release was ongoing, the students were killed.”

The statement added, “This is an attack on us as a state and the killers of our students will not go unpunished. They killed the students at their hideout in Kwara. We are currently working with security agencies to see how the remaining captives will be released.

“Already, our governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, has opened dialogue with governors of the neighbouring states on how to make the hideouts of the criminals uncomfortable for them.

“We thank the governors of Kwara and Ekiti for their cooperation and readiness to rid the evil forest of criminals. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. The state government will support them in every way possible in this dark hour of grief.”

The statement further reiterated the state government’s commitment to doing everything possible to prevent the recurrence of the May 9 incident.

“We are strengthening strategies to ward off evil from Kogi. We mourn our departed champions and also sympathise with the CUSTECH community and the communities of the affected students. Terror is cowardice for only a coward will attack those seeking knowledge in schools,” it added. 

(NAN)