The Nigerian Army Major abducted by armed bandits during a raid on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), C L Datong has been rescued by security agents, reports The Gazelle News.com.
The Major was however injured during a crossfire between seucirty agents and the bandits. He has been treated and handed over to the NDA authorities.
Scores of bandits were also eliminated in the operation.
The operation to rescue the Major was carried out jointly by the Army, Directorate of State Security (DSS), the Nigerian Air Force and the Police.
The rescue of the Major was broken via a statement by Colonel Ezindu Idimah, Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 1st Division of the Nigerian Army.
Below is the full statement from the Army on the successful rescue operation:
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 for 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. Our operations will continue until we capture or neutralize the assailants that killed two (2) officers in the NDA on 24 August 2021.
EZINDU IDIMAH
Colonel
Deputy Director Army Public Relations
1 Division
Nigerian Army
