Nigerian troops have rescued an Army Major who was abducted last month by bandits when they attacked the country’s premier military academy and killed two other officers,  the military has said.

 

Major Christopher Datong was rescued in a joint military operation involving troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army Headquarters, Air Force, and the Department of State Service, the spy police, and other security agencies.

 

Datong was abducted from Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna, on Aug. 24, an incident that raised concerns in Nigerians over the rising level of insecurity in the country.

 

The bandits who held Datong had demanded a ransom of N200m for his release.

 

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Col Ezindu Idimah, confirmed Datong rescue in a statement issued late Friday, saying the Major sustained a minor injury but has been treated in a medical facility and handed over to NDA for further action. 

 

Idimah said Datong was rescued in the late hours of Friday, Sept.17.

 

 “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 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 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.

 

“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.”