Fear and anxiety have gripped families and classmates of six Nigerian Law School students who were kidnapped while traveling through Benue State, as their captors have issued chilling threats to execute them if a revised ransom demand is not met.
The students were on their way from Onitsha, Anambra State, to resume academic activities at the Yola campus of the Nigerian Law School in Adamawa after a court attachment break. They never made it.
Sources say the group vanished on Saturday, July 26, after they passed through a notoriously dangerous stretch between Benue and Nasarawa states. The students were reportedly in high spirits, expecting to resume lectures scheduled for Monday, July 28. That optimism has since been replaced with horror.
The abducted students have been identified as Rev. Ernest Okafor, Ogbuka Fabian, Nwamma Philip, Okechukwu Obadiegwu, Obalem Emmanuel, and Obiorah David. A fellow law student, Damilare Adenola, confirmed their identities.
According to a student leader at the Yola campus, the last known contact from the victims came moments before they entered the high-risk zone. Since then, suspected kidnappers have reached out to their families and friends, initially demanding N20 million per student. However, the ransom has reportedly been raised to N50 million each.
A source familiar with a phone call between one of the students and the abductors revealed the gravity of the threat. “They warned that they will kill them if the ransom isn’t paid. They also told us to stay away from the police or any form of security involvement,” the source said. “They claimed they’re listening to everything and promised consequences if we don’t comply.”
The trauma has extended far beyond the victims themselves. At the Yola campus, students and lecturers are deeply worried. Many are too frightened to travel, unsure if they might be next.
The Adamawa State Police Command confirmed awareness of the abduction. Its spokesperson, Yahaya Suleiman, stated on Sunday that the command is working closely with Benue State police to track down the kidnappers and rescue the students. However, efforts to reach Benue State Police spokesperson Catherine Anene have been unsuccessful as of press time.
This tragic development adds to a disturbing pattern of abductions targeting students in Nigeria. In 2022, two students from the Nigerian Law School’s Agbani campus in Enugu were kidnapped while shopping at a local market. They were taken to an undisclosed location by armed men.
The current situation underscores the growing insecurity facing Nigerian students and raises urgent questions about the safety of inter-state travel, particularly for those in the education sector. As families anxiously await updates, the fate of six future lawyers hangs in the balance.