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The Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State, has refuted claims that two of the victims kidnapped last Saturday were students of the institution. According to the college’s registrar, Mr. Olufemi Owolabi, “the individuals in question are no longer students of the institution, having graduated.”. ¹

The kidnappers abducted three individuals on a farm at Oke Oge in the Oba Ile community, Akure North Local Government Area, on Saturday evening. While the identities of the victims were yet to be confirmed, sources indicated that they included a farm manager and two individuals believed to be students undergoing industrial training.

The kidnappers reportedly contacted the victims’ families, demanding a ransom of N15 million. However, Owolabi stressed that FECA could not be held responsible for the ransom demand.

In a statement, Owolabi clarified that “contrary to misleading headlines suggesting that the victims are current students of FECA, we categorically state that they are graduates of the institution who have successfully completed their National Diploma programmes and are currently undergoing their mandatory one-year industrial training.”.

The institution also called on the media and the public to verify information before dissemination to prevent misinformation. “The management emphasises that there is no IoTa of truth in reports suggesting that the college is being held responsible for ransom demands. False or misleading reports can create unnecessary panic and distort the reality of the situation.”.

“We wish to reassure parents, guardians, staff, and students that peace prevails on campus. The college remains a safe and secure learning environment, and all academic and administrative activities are ongoing without disruption.

Meanwhile, the state police public relations officer, Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed that security operatives had commenced search operations for the victims. “Our men from the anti-kidnapping squad have been deployed to the area to rescue all the victims,” Mrs. Odunlami stated.

The police public relations officer assured that the police were working tirelessly to ensure the safe release of the kidnapped individuals. “We are doing everything possible to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” she said.

The management of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, also commended the efforts of the security agencies in working towards the safe release of the victims. “We commend the efforts of security agencies, particularly the Ondo State Security Network (Amotekun Corps), in working towards their safe release and urge the relevant authorities to intensify rescue efforts,” the college’s Registrar, Mr Olufemi Owolabi, said.

The institution also called on the media and the public to verify information before dissemination to prevent misinformation. “We wish to reassure parents, guardians, staff, and students that peace prevails on campus. The college remains a safe and secure learning environment, and all academic and administrative activities are ongoing without disruption,” Owolabi added.

The kidnapping incident has raised concerns about the safety and security of individuals in the state. The police and other security agencies have assured that they are working to ensure the safe release of the victims and to prevent future incidents.

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