By Okosun Dennis
Major Datong, who was abducted by gunmen at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Afaka Barracks, has been rescued alive by the Nigerian military.
The officer was said to have suffered minor injuries during the rescue operation when troops stormed into the bandits camp and engaged them in a fierce gun duel leading to the decapitation of several bandits.
Confirming the development, the Deputy Director Army Public Relations, I Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Colonel Ezindu Idimah said the operations have been sustained since the abduction of the officer and were successful.
He explained that due to intense operation, “led to the destruction of several identified bandits’ camps in the Afaka-Birnin Gwari general area and neutralization of scores of bandits particularly, in the late hours of today, 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 but overwhelmed them with superior fire.
“In the process, the gallant troops were able to rescue the abducted officer. However, the officer sustained a minor injury but has been treated in a medical facility and handed over to NDA for further action.”
Col Idimah further added that “Following the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs for 1 Division Nigerian Army in conjunction with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and all security agencies to conduct decisive operations to rescue Major CL Datong who was abducted at Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Permanent Site on 24 August 2021 and find the perpetrators dead or alive, the 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.
“The Division wishes to commend the efforts of the Nigerian Airforce, Department of State Security, 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 officers in the NDA on August 24, 2021, Col Idimah reiterated in the statement.
It would be recalled that the officer was abducted on August 24, 2021, after killing two other senior officers of the Nigerian Airforce and Nigerian Navy in what was described by a “security breach at the Defence Academy” when bandits broke into their quarters at Afaka barracks before abducting the officer.
The Assistant Director Army Public Relations, Nigerian Defence Academy, Major Bashir Muhd Jajira had said in a statement on the morning of the abduction that “There was a security breach on Tuesday at the Nigerian Defence Academy, (NDA) Kaduna as unknown gunmen gained access into the residential area within the Academy in Afaka and killed two soldiers. The unfortunate incident also led to the abduction of one other soldier.
“The NDA community and Cadets are safe in the Academy. We assure the general public that these unknown gunmen would soon be apprehended and the abducted personnel rescued.”
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