ARMY OFFICER ABDUCTED IN NDA, DATONG, REGAINS FREEDOM

Christopher Datong

An Army major, Christopher Datong, who was abducted at the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, has regained freedom after about three weeks in the custody of bandits.

In a statement by the deputy spokesperson of the Defence Headquarters, Ezindu Idimah, the senior officer was rescued following collaborative efforts by security agents.

Major Datong was abducted on August 24, 2021, during an attack at the Academy that left two officers dead.

There were speculations on social media that the senior officer was executed.

It was gathered that the kidnappers had requested a ransom of N200 million.

During the attack, witnesses said the bandits came in large numbers in the early hours of the day.

In a statement issued in the early hours of Saturday, Idimah, spokesman of the 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, said that the rescue was possible through a collaborative mission carried out by the 1 Division, in conjunction with the air task force, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies.

Idimah said Datong sustained a minor injury during the operation and was treated at a medical facility before he was handed over to the authorities of the NDA "for further action."

The statement read! "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."

VIDEO