Six students of the Nigerian Law School have been abducted in Benue State while traveling from Onitsha, Anambra State, to resume academic activities at the Yola campus in Adamawa State.
The students identified as Rev. Ernest Okafor, Ogbuka Fabian, Nwamma Philip, Okechukwu Obadiegwu, Obalem Emmanuel, and Obiorah David were kidnapped on Saturday, July 26, while en route to campus following their court externship break. Lectures were scheduled to recommence on Monday, July 28.
A student leader at the Yola campus confirmed to PUNCH Metro that the group was last heard from shortly before entering a volatile stretch of highway between Benue and Nasarawa States, a region notorious for frequent attacks by armed groups.
Initial reports indicate the abductors made contact with the victims’ families and colleagues, initially demanding ₦20 million per student. The ransom has since escalated to ₦50 million each, bringing the total demand to ₦300 million.
A source familiar with a phone conversation between the kidnappers and one of the students described the situation as dire.
“They said they would kill them if we don’t pay. They also warned us not to involve security agencies,” the source said. “They claimed to be monitoring everything we do and insisted that silence and compliance are the only options if we want them alive.”
Police Respond to Crisis
The Adamawa State Police Command has acknowledged the incident. Spokesperson Yahaya Suleiman confirmed that the command is coordinating with its counterpart in Benue State to secure the students’ release.
However, attempts to reach Catherine Anene, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, were unsuccessful as of press time.
Mounting Insecurity Threatens Legal Education
This latest abduction highlights the growing security challenges facing Nigerian students, particularly those undertaking inter-state travel. Legal education stakeholders have expressed deep concern over the safety of law school candidates, who often commute long distances between campuses and court placements.
As of now, the families of the kidnapped students remain in a state of uncertainty, desperately appealing to authorities for swift intervention.
