Gunmen abducted 19 people in Rivers and Imo states, including five students from Rivers State University, yesterday.
This happened on the same day that the House of Representatives requested the federal government to apprehend the murderers of five police officers in the Bauchi village last week.
Following the resignation of Defence Minister Abubakar Badaru on Monday, President Bola Tinubu selected the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, as his replacement. He also met with security officials to discuss the country’s security situation.
In the Rivers attack, gunmen suspected of being members of a cult organisation kidnapped at least five students from Rivers State University’s Emohua Satellite Campus early yesterday.
The victims were reportedly taken at gunpoint from their off-campus residence in Emuoha in the Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that students living outside the campus last week protested persistent attacks and harassment by cultists and appealed to the RSU management to relocate them to the main campus in Port Harcourt for safety.
However, at a pre-convocation briefing on Monday, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, ruled out closing the Emohua campus or relocating students, stating that the university was addressing security concerns through engagements with community leaders, council authorities, and security agencies.
A student, who narrowly escaped the abduction but pleaded anonymity, said the gunmen invaded their residence around 2 am and shot dead the security dog before proceeding to seize the victims.
“He was running after me and even shot at me; I don’t know how many times. I couldn’t look back because I was focused on escaping.
“Someone from the bush then ran after me. I had to run faster to the gate. Some of our students, about four or so, are missing now,’’ the student said.
The latest incident followed last week’s alleged robbery attack in Rumuji, barely hours after the vice chancellor’s assurances.
Spokesperson of the Rivers State police command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the abduction, describing the perpetrators as cultists.
They were abducted by cultists. In the early hours of Tuesday (yesterday), a group of cultists numbering five stormed an isolated area of Rumuchi/Rumuohia, shot sporadically, and abducted five persons to an unknown destination,” she said.
While disclosing that the police had launched a manhunt for the abductors, the police scribe said, “We have put efforts in place for their safe rescue. As I speak, the commissioner of police has gone there with tactical teams to ensure they regain their freedom.”
Efforts to get the reaction of officials of the state government at press time yesterday proved abortive.
On the attack in Imo, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen reportedly hijacked an Aba-bound bus with 14 passengers at the Ngor Okpala area of Imo State on Monday evening.
Eyewitness accounts said the gunmen emerged from the bush, shot sporadically, and took control of the bus, which had left Owerri for Aba, Abia State.
The situation, according to the witnesses, led to pandemonium, as other vehicles either reversed abruptly or screeched to a halt, while passengers scampered for safety.
“They came out of the bush and started shooting and then kidnapped passengers in a fully loaded bus. Many passengers ran out of their vehicles; some ran into the bush, others ran back. The situation was terrifying,” a source said.
Recall that suspected herders had in May 2025, abducted about 18 passengers in like manner in the same area.
A few weeks after that incident, more than 20 other passengers were reportedly kidnapped in the same area, while two persons were killed in the attack.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Henry Okoye, said the incident was yet to be reported to the command.
“The incident has not been reported to the Police. Nevertheless, the commissioner of police has deployed tactical units to embark on robust fact-finding patrols along the Owerri–Aba Express Road. Further details will be communicated in due course,” Okoye said.
The Sun
Gunmen hijack bus, kidnap 14 passengers in Imo, 5 Rivers varsity students
