Kidnappers Demand N20m Ransom Each for 6 Nigerian Law School Students Abducted in Benue

Six Nigerian Law School students travelling from Onitsha, Anambra State, to the Yola campus in Adamawa State have been abducted by suspected gunmen in Benue State, with abductors now demanding a ransom of N20 million per victim for their release.

The incident occurred late Saturday as the students were returning to campus following their court externship break. The Yola campus of the Nigerian Law School was scheduled to reopen on Monday, but panic has gripped students and families alike amid the disturbing development.

This latest abduction is not an isolated case. Recall that in 2022, two students from the Nigerian Law School, Agbani campus in Enugu State, were abducted while shopping for food at the local Eke Agbani market. The attackers took them to an unknown location, which sparked a wave of fear and renewed concerns over student safety nationwide.

A fellow law student, Damilare Adenola, confirmed the abduction in a phone interview with Punch on Sunday, listing the missing students as Rev. Ernest Okafor, Ogbuka Fabian, Nwamma Philip, Okechukwu Obadiegwu, Obalem Emmanuel, and Obiorah David.

According to him, the kidnapping reportedly took place between Wukari in Taraba State and a region in Benue State, a corridor increasingly notorious for insecurity and frequent attacks on travellers.

Another student, who identified himself simply as Chisom, recounted the chilling moment he realised his classmates had been taken.

We heard the news this morning (Sunday) that some of our classmates were abducted. I didn’t want to believe it, so I started making a few calls because I know all of them. I tried to call three of the victims, but their numbers were switched off. When I tried one of them again, he picked up the call. There was noise in the background, but when he finally spoke, he screamed that he had been kidnapped and told a colleague to send N20m for his release,” Chisom said.

A student leader on the Yola campus confirmed that the school had reported the incident to the Adamawa State Police Command. However, the command has since clarified that the kidnapping did not happen within its jurisdiction.

Yahaya Suleiman, spokesperson for the Adamawa State Police Command, confirmed their awareness of the situation but noted that “the abduction did not occur inside Adamawa State.” He advised that further inquiries be directed to the Benue State Police Command, under whose jurisdiction the incident falls.

We cooperate not only with the police in other states but also with sister agencies to ensure safety. We are in touch with Benue State Police Command on this case,” he told Punch.

At the time of filing this report, the Benue State police command has yet to release a statement. Benue State has recently been embroiled in violence and humanitarian crises. Suspected armed herders carried out one of the deadliest massacres in recent history in Benue State, killing over 200 residents in the Yelewata community and displacing hundreds more.

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