The Niger State Police Command has rescued a 36-year-old student who was kidnapped in Abuja but managed to escape from his captors.
The victim, Cornelius Damulak, a student of Veritas University, Abuja, was abducted from his residence in Bwari on February 6 at around 5 a.m. He endured several days in captivity before seizing an opportunity to flee.
Damulak’s escape came after he was moved from one forest to another by the kidnappers, who were searching for a secure hiding place. On February 13, he managed to break free and trekked a long distance until he reached the Pogo-Paiko highway in Minna, Niger State.
A police patrol team from the Chanchaga Division spotted him wandering along the highway on February 14 around noon and immediately rescued him.
Wasiu Abiodun, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, confirmed the development, noting that Damulak was visibly exhausted from the ordeal.
“On February 14th, 2025, at about 12 noon, a suspected kidnapped victim was found roaming around the Pogo-Paiko highway by the Police patrol team attached to Chanchaga Div and he was immediately rescued to the Police Division.
“During interrogation, the victim was identified as Cornelius Damulak, 36 years and a student of Veritas University Abuja. It was revealed that the victim was abducted from his residence in Bwari, Abuja, on Thursday, February 6th, 2025 at about 5 am by suspected kidnappers, and he was taken away, from one forest to another.
“Fortunately, he was able to escape from his abductors on February 13th, 2025, and he found himself along the Pogo-Paiko highway, Minna, after a distance trekking and he was immediately rescued to the Division.
“The victim was taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention while an effort to locate his relatives is being intensified,” Abiodun said.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation, the police intercepted a vehicle carrying stolen livestock along the Gwada-Maitumbi Road. The operatives, attached to the Maitumbi Division, arrested five suspects, including Mohammed Ibrahim and Ibrahim Yakubu, in connection with the theft.
Abiodun noted that the stolen livestock—11 cows and 34 sheep—had been taken from a compound in Kuchi, Munya Local Government Area. During questioning, one of the suspects, Mohammed Ibrahim, admitted that he stole the animals from a man named Saleh and was transporting them to Minna for sale.
