Voice Air Media, VAM News Update

Some fully armed bandits have invaded Kogi State University of Science and Technology Osara and kidnapped unspecified number of students on Thursday night.

According to eyewitness accounts, the Bandits in their large numbers entered the school around 9 pm through the bush path and started shooting sporadically into the school premises.

The school’s local security displayed gallantry as they engaged the hoodlums in gun duel that lasted for over 30 minutes.

Accordingly, some students who escaped by the whiskers, said, the hoodlums invaded the school around 9 pm and went straight to lecture halls where the students were having tutorials preparatory for their upcoming first semester exams.

The students who spoke to our correspondent on anonymity, said, the number of abducted students would have been less, if the management had listened to plea of students to open the mini gate that led into the main town.

They lamented that the students were left with the only main gate to escape and with the melee and confusion, many students were caught napping.

The witness added that when the shoot-out subsided, unspecified numbers of students could not be readily accounted for but, said no fewer than 57 were abducted, while one student sustained gunshot wounds.

Meanwhile, the police and other security agencies have been mobilised to the school and the community.

Confirming the incident, the vice chancellor, Professor Abdulrahman Asipita said, the situation is under control.

Efforts to reach police public relations officer, SP William Aya, proved abortive.