Kogi Governor Orders Probe into NECO Exam Centre After Candidates Were Rescued from Kidnappers, Reaffirms No-ransom Policy

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the conduct of a National Examinations Council (NECO) examination at an abandoned secondary school in Dekina Local Government Area, following the successful rescue of four abducted persons.

The victims were kidnapped on Tuesday after armed men attacked a purported NECO examination centre located at the abandoned Government Secondary School, Olowa Agbajo, in Dekina LGA.

Receiving the rescued victims at the Government House in Lokoja on Friday, Governor Ododo praised security agencies for their swift and coordinated operation, describing the rescue as evidence of the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration in combating insecurity across the state.

The governor reiterated his administration's firm stance against negotiating with kidnappers or paying ransom, insisting that criminal groups would not be allowed to operate freely in Kogi State.

"I have said it before, and I want to reiterate that this administration will never negotiate with criminals or pay ransom. They may come into our state, but they will not return to where they came from," Ododo said.

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He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing continuous support to security agencies in the fight against insecurity.

"I want to commend Mr President and Commander-in-Chief, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for giving us all the support needed to defeat insecurity. We will not disappoint him in Kogi State," the governor added.

Beyond the rescue operation, Governor Ododo directed a comprehensive investigation to determine why the NECO examination was held at an abandoned school that had reportedly been closed due to security concerns.

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According to the governor, preliminary findings suggest that Government Secondary School, Olowa Agbajo, had previously been shut down due to its isolated location and the security risks in the area.

He expressed concern over reports indicating that only 10 students were taken to the abandoned facility to sit for the examination.

"I await the outcome of the investigation to determine why the principal decided to take only 10 students to an isolated location for the examination," he stated.

The outcome of the investigation is expected to establish whether examination guidelines and security protocols were followed before the examination was conducted at the centre.

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Governor Ododo assured residents that security operatives are continuing efforts to apprehend those responsible for the abduction.

He urged the people of Kogi State to remain calm, expressing confidence that the kidnappers would soon be arrested and prosecuted.

The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of candidates and examination officials during public examinations, particularly in areas affected by security challenges. It also raises fresh questions about the suitability of examination centres used for national examinations such as NECO.