Governor Ododo Receives Rescued Kogi Kidnap Victims At Government House 

The four victims rescued after their abduction during an attack on an examination centre in Olowa, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, have been received by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo at the Government House in Lokoja.

According to a video shared by TVC on Friday, the governor was shown welcoming the victims, comprising the school principal, a National Examinations Council (NECO) official and two students, following their rescue.

Governor Ododo was accompanied by heads of security agencies in the state as he received the victims, who regained their freedom after a coordinated rescue operation involving multiple security agencies.

The victims were abducted when gunmen attacked the examination centre while candidates were writing the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

The Kogi State Government had announced on Thursday that the rescue was carried out by a joint team of the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, local vigilantes and other security operatives, acting on Governor Ododo’s directive to ensure the safe return of the victims.

Meanwhile, NECO has defended the status of Government Secondary School, Olowa, rejecting claims that the institution is a “miracle centre.”

In a statement, the examination body described the school as a legitimate public institution owned by the Kogi State Government, noting that it has operated for more than 40 years and has consistently presented candidates for the Senior School Certificate Examination since 2000.

The council also refuted suggestions that the abducted candidates were external candidates.

“Available records also show that the abducted candidates are duly registered students of Government Secondary School, Olowa, who were presented for the 2026 NECO SSCE by the school in conjunction with the Kogi State Government.

“The Council’s records further indicate that the 28 candidates registered by the school for the 2026 SSCE are bona fide students and not external candidates, contrary to the impression created by the Honourable Commissioner,” the statement said.

To reinforce its position, NECO released the school’s SSCE enrolment figures for the past five years, showing that 21 candidates sat the examination in 2021, 20 in 2022, 28 in 2023, 40 in 2024 and 20 in 2025.

The examination body further disclosed that the Kogi State Government sponsored the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) fees of 51 students from Government Secondary School, Olowa, during the recently concluded 2026 examination, describing the institution as a recognised public school with duly registered students.