Christopher Datong, a military officer kidnapped when robbers assaulted the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, has been freed by security forces after 24 days in captivity.
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On August 24, 2021, the criminals broke into the NDA facility.
Datong was kidnapped and two officers were slain.
The spokesman for the 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Ezindu Idimah, announced that the abducted major had regained his freedom in an early Saturday statement.
Datong suffered a slight injury during the operation, according to Idimah, and was treated at a medical facility before being given over to NDA authorities “for further action.”
“Following the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff and Service Chiefs for 1 Division Nigerian Army in collaboration 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 collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and all security agencies to conduct decisive operations to rescue Major CL Datong who was kidnapped by bandit on August 24th 2021.
The activities were carried out based on many leads acquired from various sources about the abductors and possible holding locations for the officer.
The operations that have been ongoing since the officer’s kidnapping have been quite successful, resulting in the destruction of several identified bandit camps in the Afaka- Birnin Gwari general area, as well as the neutralization of a large number of bandits. In the late hours of today, September 17, 2021, the troops arrived at a camp suspected to be the location where Maj CL Datong was being held.
The troops traded fire with the outlaws at the camp, who were overrun by superior fire. The valiant men were able to save the kidnapped officer in the process.
The officer, however, suffered a slight injury and was taken to a medical facility before being handed over to the NDA for further action.
“The Division would like to thank the Nigerian Air Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Police Force, and patriotic Nigerians for their essential assistance in making this operation a success.
“Our operations will continue until the perpetrators who killed two (2) policemen in the NDA on August 24, 2021 are apprehended or neutralized.”