Gunmen have reportedly demanded a ransom of N120 million for the release of six students of the Nigerian Law School who were abducted over the weekend while travelling to resume classes at the school’s Yola campus in Adamawa State.
The victims were said to be returning from Onitsha, Anambra State, and were kidnapped along the Wukari–Benue highway, a corridor notorious for criminal activities.
The abduction occurred late Saturday, ahead of the scheduled reopening of the Yola campus on Monday following the court externship break.
Sources at the Law School confirmed that the abductors have contacted families and colleagues of the victims, demanding N20 million per student.
One of the affected students, who managed to briefly speak on a phone call, confirmed the abduction and screamed for help, appealing for the N20 million to be paid for his release.
A fellow student who spoke with PUNCH Metro said he initially doubted the news until multiple calls to the missing students went unanswered.
“I called three of them and their phones were switched off. But when I tried one of the numbers again, he picked up. There was a lot of noise in the background.
He shouted that he had been kidnapped and mentioned the ransom,” the student said.
The victims have been identified as Rev. Ernest Okafor, Ogbuka Fabian, Nwamma Philip, Okechukwu Obadiegwu, Obalem Emmanuel, and Obiorah David.
A student leader at the Yola campus, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the case had been reported to the authorities. “We have contacted the Adamawa State Police Command and are waiting for updates. The situation is still developing,” the leader said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Adamawa State Police Command, Yahaya Suleiman, clarified that the abduction occurred outside the state’s jurisdiction. “The incident did not take place in Adamawa. However, we are working in coordination with the Benue State Police Command and other security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the students,” Suleiman said.
As of press time, efforts to reach the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Anene Catherine, were unsuccessful.
This incident adds to the growing list of kidnappings targeting students.
In 2022, two law students at the Agbani campus in Enugu State were also abducted while shopping at a local market.
The Nigerian Law School and affected families are yet to issue formal statements on the matter.
Meanwhile, security forces continue to investigate and work toward securing the safe return of the abducted students.