Some fully armed gunmen on Thursday night invaded Kogi State University of Science and Technology Osara and kidnapped unspecified number of students.
According to eye witness account, the bandits in their large number entered the school around 9pm through the bush path and started shooting sporadically into the school premises.
The school’s local security reportedly displayed gallantry as they engaged the hoodlums in gun duel that lasted over 30 minutes.
Some students, who escaped by the whiskers, said that the hoodlums invaded the school around 9pm and went straight to lecture halls, where they were having tutorials preparatory for their upcoming first semester exams.
The students, who spoke on anonymity, said that the number of abducted students would have been less.if the management had listened to plea of students to open the mini gate that leads to the main town.
They lamented that they were left with the only main gate to escape and that with the confusion and panic, many students were caught napping.
The witness added that when the shoot out subsided, unspecified numbers of students could not be readily accounted for but that no fewer than 57 were abducted, while one student sustained gun shot wounds.
Meanwhile, the police and other security agencies have been mobilised to the school and the community.
Confirming the incident, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdulraman Asipita said that the situation is under control.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the state, SP William Aya however, proved abortive.
