Gunmen Abduct Many University Students, Shoot Two, While En Route To Easter Convention
Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen on Wednesday attacked a bus conveying students from Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education along the Benin-Ore expressway, abducting 10 students and shooting two others.
The students, who are members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Campus Fellowship, were travelling to Babcock University, Remo, Ogun State, for their annual Easter Convention when their journey turned into a nightmare.
A source who spoke with SaharaReporters described the ambush as traumatic and accused security forces of failing to protect road users despite rising cases of abductions along the highway.
“University students from my state university and a sister university students in my state were kidnapped and some shot along Ore Road while on their way, heading to Babcock University, Ogun State, today for their normal annual Easter Student Convention,” the source said.
“These students turned out to be my Fellowship Students, National Association of Adventist Students (NAAS), and unfortunately, for me, some of my undergraduate friends and relatives were on this bus.”
A source said some students were still in the custody of the kidnappers, while others had managed to flee and were wandering through the bush in search of safety.
According to the source, the attackers opened fire on the bus, sparking chaos and panic. While several students escaped into the bush, two were shot. One of the victims, who sustained a gunshot wound to the back, is currently fighting for his life at an undisclosed hospital after undergoing emergency surgery to remove the bullet.
One of the pictures obtained by SaharaReporters shows health workers tending to the wound of the student shot in the back.
“He’s currently struggling even to survive after they removed the bullet this night, from what the doctor told me a few minutes ago. I saw people killed by herdsmen a few weeks ago along the ShopRite axis, Federal Secretariat bus stop. And I wept,” the source said.
The attackers have since contacted the families of the kidnapped students, demanding a ransom of ₦15 million for their release.
“They are demanding N15 million for those under their captivity. It happened. Some were even shot at and sustained lifetime injuries. And some managed to escape,” the source said.
In a chilling revelation, the source noted that some of the students who fled into the bush during the attack were still missing.
“10 are still in captivity. Some of the students, who made their way into the bush, are still wandering in the bush of Ore until now,” the source said.
He also expressed suspicion about the bus driver’s role, raising questions about how he managed to escape unharmed while the students were left to their fate.
The Ondo-Benin-Ore highway has long been a hotspot for banditry and kidnappings, with commuters frequently targeted by armed assailants. Despite repeated calls for increased security presence, abductions have continued unchecked.
All efforts to get the reaction of the Ondo State Police Command proved abortive. The Command Spokesperson, Odunlami Ibukun, did not pick up repeated calls, and she has yet to respond to a follow-up message
