The police in Enugu State confirmed on Saturday that three students from the State College of Health Technology, Oji-River, were kidnapped in the Oji-River Local Government Area.
Some claiming to be locals alerted the public to the possibility that some college students had been abducted since Wednesday night in a widely shared video.
They claimed that the incident’s authorities had remained silent about it.
It was reported that, at approximately 7:30 p.m., a group of gunmen who appeared to be herdsmen broke into the school complex and kidnapped students.
However, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, the Command’s spokesman, confirmed the kidnapping incident in a statement on Saturday night.
He revealed that three students were still missing and that two had been saved.
Ndukwe, however, dismissed the viral video, claiming that countless students were kidnapped at the College, describing it as false and an act of “mischief and misinformation aimed at misleading and creating panic among unsuspecting citizens.”
The statement partly read, “Contrary to the spurious narrative in the viral video, in the evening hours of August 15, 2024, Police Operatives at the Oji-River Division of the Command received information alleging an act of abduction around the said college.
“They immediately hastened to the scene, rescuing two of the victims allegedly abducted, while three others are yet to be found. However, vigorous operations are ongoing to locate and rescue them, as well as apprehend the abductors.
“A preliminary investigation proves that the victims were driving out of the college when the seemingly targeted incident occurred.”
The Command’s spokesperson noted that the Commissioner, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered the operatives to ensure that the missing victims are found and rescued, while also arresting the perpetrators.
He, however, quoted the commissioner to have cautioned against such mischievous and malicious social media narratives, aimed at creating unwarranted panic and jeopardising police operational and investigative actions over such incidents.
