'Why we can't storm creek, rescue school children'

Security operatives attempting to rescue the six students abducted from Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, by militant kidnappers, have revealed reasons the kids are yet to be rescued.

According to security sources, operatives have narrowed down their search for the abducted school children to Oga Imakun Omi Creek, but storming it to rescue the kids and arrest the kidnappers was simply out of the question.

This was even as our correspondent gathered that naval and army personnel have joined in the rescue operation.

The six students were abducted from their school hostel last week Thursday. Immediately they were abducted the Lagos State Anti-Kidnapping Squad was deployed on the area. The Marine Police was also later alerted after it was discovered that the militants had split into groups, with one group wreaking havoc on the sea at Epe, another keeping watch over the kids.

The militants engaged Marine Police in a protracted gun duel. They injured seven personnel of the marine police, while the police killed 14 of them, leaving many others injured.

The Anti-kidnapping Squad and Marine Police were later joined by detectives attached to the Lagos State Police Command Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from Abuja.

Yesterday, our correspondent gathered that navy and army have joined the team of police operatives.

The sources further disclosed that after the school children were abducted, they were taken into the creek, but later moved to Oga Imakun Omi Creek on the orders of General America, the militants’ leader.

Although police search had been narrowed down to Oga Imakun Omi Creek, the children’s exact location inside the creek remains nebulous. Oga Imakun Omi Creek is said to be between the boundary of Lagos and Ogun states.

It was gathered that the gun battle between the police and militants, left America suspicious of everyone around him. He therefore, ordered the transfer of the children to Oga Imakun Omi Creek.

Presently, it’s only America and five other militants that know the precise location of the children in the Oga Imakun Omi Creek.

A security operative source said: “Our aim is to rescue the school children alive. That’s our major priority. The children are deep inside the creek. If we storm the creek, chances of the children getting killed in gun fire is 90 percent. According to intelligence reports at our disposal, America and five of his men are the only people that know the exact place where the kids are kept inside the Imakun Creek.

“After the militants gun battle with police, they lost 14 of their men.  America handpicked five of his trusted men and instructed them to move the school children to a new location. Everybody is being cautious about the lives of the children. Invading the creek will entail risking the lives of the captives. We cannot take that chance!”