Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, has said his administration will not negotiate with criminals or pay ransom to kidnappers.
Ododo made the declaration following the rescue of four persons abducted from an examination centre in Dekina Local Government Area of the state.
The rescued victims were the Principal of Government Secondary School, Olowa, Daniel Iyanda; a NECO official, Solomon Peter; and two female candidates identified as Dorcas Sunday and another candidate simply named Dorcas.
They were rescued alive at about 7:45 p.m. on Thursday by security operatives.
The governor spoke on Friday during a joint news conference at the Government House in Lokoja.
The briefing was attended by heads of security agencies in Kogi State.
Ododo described the incident as shocking and said the government remained determined to rid the state of criminal elements.
He said Kogi would not reward criminality through ransom payment or negotiation.
The governor also said education remained a major priority for his administration.
According to him, the state government has been paying internal and external examination fees for pupils and students from primary to secondary school levels.
Ododo said it was unfortunate that some individuals still attempted to exploit the system despite government investment in education.
He said preliminary findings showed that the examination centre where the victims were abducted was unauthorised.
The governor added that the centre was located in a school earlier shut down because of security concerns.
According to him, the victims were external candidates and were not part of the state government-sponsored examination register.
Ododo said investigation into the incident was still ongoing and that the outcome would be made public.
He commended President Bola Tinubu, security agencies and all those involved in the rescue operation.
The governor assured residents that Kogi remained safe, adding that security personnel were still combing the forests in Dekina to track those behind the abduction.
Ododo warned that all public examinations in the state must be conducted only in approved centres.
He said the Ministry of Education would take action against operators of illegal examination centres.
The Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, Naziru Kankarofi, said the abduction occurred on Tuesday when armed men attacked the centre during a NECO examination.
He said 10 candidates were writing the examination at the centre when the attack happened.
Kankarofi said he immediately moved to the scene with the Commander of 12 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Kasim Sidi, and the State Security Adviser, retired Commander Jerry Omodara, to coordinate rescue efforts.
He said joint security teams made up of the Police, Army, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, vigilantes and hunters carried out bush-combing operations.
According to him, all four victims were rescued alive on Thursday evening and reunited with the authorities.
The police commissioner said no life was lost during the rescue operation.
He added that investigation showed the abandoned school was allegedly being used unlawfully as a special examination centre.
Kankarofi said the classroom had a history of examination malpractice and warned that anyone found to have violated the law would be arrested and prosecuted.
Security officials present at the briefing included the Commander of 12 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Kasim Sidi; Commander of NNS Lugard, Cdre Adesola Ojo; the State Director of DSS; the State Commandant of NSCDC; and the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara.
