kidnapped Major from NDA rescued by security forces

The Nigerian security forces have rescued Christopher Datong, a Major recently abducted by bandits during the invasion of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna.

He was abducted after an attack on NDA which led to the death of and injuries on few officers.

A statement issued at the weekend by Deputy Director of Nigeria Army Public Relations Officer of the First Division Ezindu Idimah said the rescue operations were made possible through collaborations with other forces such as the State Security Service (SSS), Air Force, and the military, among others.

The operation, Idimah noted, led to the death of other criminals during the shoot-out session.

“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 and neutralization of scores of bandits particularly, in the late hours of today, 17 September 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.

“However, the officer sustained a minor injury but has been treated in a medical facility and handed over to NDA for further action.”

Nigerians had earlier criticised the effrontery of the bandits who attacked the country’s leading training ground of the military.

The presidency, under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari, had assumed the attack was politically motivated. He warned those playing politics with the incident.

But it was not the first time armed criminals would be attacking security facilities and government structures.

State governments have also acknowledged how much bandits have terrorised the states.

“They are the same people like me, who speak the same language like me, who profess the same religious beliefs like me.

“So, what we have here on the ground with these bandits, they are not aliens; they are people who we know,” Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari said recently.

“They are people who have lived with us for hundreds of years.

“The infiltration we have from some West African countries and North African countries are also people of the Fulani extraction.”

However, it is not certain if any ransom was paid for Datong’s rescue. A report had earlier claimed that his abductors demanded N200 million for his rescue.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook