One of the kidnapped students of Bethel Baptist Secondary school in the Chikun local government area of Kaduna state has been rescued.
The student, Abraham Aniya, was rescued by security operatives along with two other kidnap victims who were abducted by bandits some days ago along the Kaduna-Kachia road.
The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday.
He said police operatives alongside men of the Civilian JTF on routine patrol, rescued the three kidnap victims while they were roaming inside the forest extremely exhausted and weak at Tshohon Gaya village in Chikun local government area on Tuesday.
Jalinge explained that the victims were safely evacuated and rushed to Police Clinic in the state capital, where they are currently being resuscitated, after which they will be handed over to their families.
During the course of the investigation, the three victims were identified as Zaharaddeen Ibrahim, Nura Nuhu and Abraham Aniya.
Gunmen had on July 5 stormed the school and whisked away 12 students to an unknown destination.
Five days after, the abductors demanded food items from their parents to enable them feed the children, warning that failure to do so will expose the children to impending starvation.
Worried by the situation, the distraught parents of the abducted students were forced to hold a prayer session for the rescue of their children.
Kidnapping for ransom has been rife in the north-western part of the country with the students of the Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna being the latest victims of kidnapping.
An estimated 950 students have been abducted by armed bandits in the Northern region, with many of such incidents occurring in the northwest zone.
See the statement issued by the Kaduna State Police Command on the rescue of the abducted persons below:
KADUNA POLICE COMMAND PRESS RELEASE
RESCUE OF THREE KIDNAPPED VICTIMS INCLUDING ONE STUDENT OF BETHEL BAPTIST SCHOOL ON 13TH JULY, 2021
“The Kaduna Police Command’s mission to rescue all kidnap victims through intelligence-led Policing and the rigorous patrol had yesterday yielded a positive result with the rescue of three victims to safety.
“On the 12th July 2021 at about 1540hrs the Operatives of the Command alongside Civilian JTF on routine rescue patrol around the forest of Tsohon Gaya village of Chikun LGA of Kaduna State stumbled on three kidnapped victims roaming the bush extremely exhausted and weak. The victims were safely evacuated and rushed to Police Clinic Kaduna where they are currently being resuscitated and will subsequently be handed over to their immediate families.
“During the course of the investigation, the three (3) victims were identified as Zaharaddeen Ibrahim, Nura Nuhu that were kidnapped recently along Kaduna – Kachia Road and Abraham Aniya one of the students of Bethel Baptist Secondary School, Kujama that were kidnapped the previous week. Thus, the Command is currently relentless in ensuring that more victims are rescued within the shortest possible time.
ASP MOHAMMED JALIGE
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
KADUNA STATE COMMAND
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
