Six students of the Nigerian Law School have been abducted by gunmen suspected to be bandits in Benue State while travelling to resume academic activities at the institution’s Yola Campus in Adamawa State.
The abduction, according NewsPointNigeria, occurred in the evening of Saturday, July 26, along the volatile Wukari-Benue border axis, a highway notorious for kidnappings, armed robbery, and sporadic attacks by criminal groups.
The students were said to be travelling from Onitsha, Anambra State, following the completion of their mandatory court externship programme.
The Yola Law School Campus is scheduled to reopen on Monday, July 28.
Confirming the incident, a fellow student, Damilare Adenola, expressed deep concern about the safety of his colleagues.
“Six students of the Nigerian Law School have been reportedly kidnapped by suspected armed bandits while travelling to resume school after their court externship break,” he said.
The abducted students were identified as: Rev. Ernest Okafor, Ogbuka Fabian, Nwamma Philip, Okechukwu Obadiegwu, Obalem Emmanuel and Obiorah David.
A student union leader at the Yola campus, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that the abduction had been reported to the authorities.
“We are all in shock here in Yola. We’ve been in contact with the Adamawa State Police Command, but we’ve also been told that the incident happened outside their jurisdiction. We are waiting and praying for more concrete updates,” the student leader said.
When contacted, spokesperson for the Adamawa State Police Command, SP Yahaya Suleiman, acknowledged reports of the incident but clarified that it occurred outside the state’s territory.
“The abduction did not happen within Adamawa borders. We’ve traced the location to an area near Benue,” Suleiman said.
He added that efforts were ongoing across state lines to secure the safe return of the students.
“We are in constant communication with the Benue State Police Command and other relevant security outfits. The safety of those travelling into or out of Adamawa is a top priority,” he stressed.
However, attempts to reach the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, SP Anene Catherine, were unsuccessful as of press time.
Multiple calls and text messages sent to her mobile line remained unanswered, deepening concerns among families and friends of the abducted students.
