The kidnapped Army officer following the attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, Major CL Datong, has been rescued from his abductors.
It would be recalled that bandits attacked the military institution on August 24, 2021 and in the process abducted Major Datong after Lt Cdr Wulah and Flt Leutenant CM Okoronwo were shot dead, and a 2nd Leutenant Onah was injured.
In a statement issued by the deputy director, Army Public Relations,
1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Colonel Ezindu Idimah, he said Datong was rescued by the troops in compliance with the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs for 1 Division, in conjunction with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and all security agencies to conduct decisive operations to rescue the abducted officer and find the perpetrators dead or alive.
He said, the 1 Division in conjunction with the Air Task Force, Department of State Services and other security agencies, immediately swung into action by conducting operations in the Afaka general area to find and rescue the officer.
“The operations were being conducted based on several leads received from various sources regarding the abductors and likely locations the officer was being held,” he said.
Colonel Idima further said the operations which have been sustained since the abduction of the officer proved quite successful and led to the destruction of several identified bandits’ camps in the Afaka-Birnin Gwari general area of Kaduna State and neutralisation of scores of bandits particularly, in the late hours of September 17, 2021.
“The troops arrived at a camp suspected to be the location where Maj CL Datong was being held. At the camp, the troops exchanged fire with the bandits and overwhelmed them with superior fire. In the process, the gallant troops were able to rescue the abducted officer,” he said.
He disclosed that, although the officer was rescued, he sustained a minor injury but has been treated in a medical facility and handed over to NDA for further action.
“The Division wishes to commend the efforts of the NAF, DSS, Nigerian Police and patriotic Nigerians for their invaluable support which contributed to the success of this operation. Our operations will continue until we capture or neutralize the assailants that killed two (2) officers in the NDA on 24 August 2021,” he added.
Culled from the Leadership News Nigeria
