Navy joins police to rescue Epe students as abductors reject N2m

As part of the efforts to rescue the abducted students of the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, the Nigerian Navy has joined the rescue operation.

This is just as the abductors have rejected the N2 million, which was offered by one of the parents of the abducted students.

The navy announced on Tuesday that its personnel would join the police to enable them access the remote part of the creek.

Metro gathered that the collaboration between the navy and the police was as a result of the relocation of the students by the abductors.

The Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team had last week arrested three members of the gang namely: Egelu Endurance aka Jubby, Stanley Yomi Irabomini a.k.a. Powei and Bentel Endurance.

A police source who confirmed the collaboration with the navy described it as “long overdue” and that it would help the police.

The police source also stated that the police operation to rescue the students had been hampered by the lack of access to the inner part of the creek.

The police source said:  “After we had made the arrests, the kidnappers moved the students farther into the creeks, where our boats from the Marine Police cannot penetrate or access.

“For that terrain, which is ridden with thick bushes and foliages, what we need is swarm buggies and flat boats.”

The police source also added that “as it is now, we are frustrated at every turn because although we know the general area where the kidnappers are, we can’t just go in, as we have the safety of the students to think about.

“Although they have been relocated and we know the area, we don’t have the platform to penetrate that place because we are handicapped in that regard.”

The Flag Officer Commanding, western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai, said that efforts were still on to dislodge the militants in Lagos and Ogun states.

Bobai, who serves as the Officer-in-Tactical Command of Operation Awatse, a joint maritime operation that means ‘scatter’ in Hausa language, said the operation was very much on.

The naval boss said “The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has always been in contact with the commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft. Some of our boats have gone to operate alongside the Marine Police.”

Bobai however advocated diplomacy first as against the use force considering the fact that the kidnappers still have the abducted students in their custody.

The naval chief said, “Rather than using force, diplomacy or negotiation is a better option. Rather than using force to rescue them, the option that will yield positive results is better.

“Remember they were engaged in shootouts in the early days of the kidnap, during which some of them (security operatives) were killed. Now our major concern is the safety of the students and to ensure that they are rescued, whichever means is explored.”

He also said: “But for now, we have been collaborating and operating with the police. The NNS Beecroft, which is the operational arm of the command, has always been supportive each time the Lagos CP calls.”