No fewer than 19 people, including five students of Rivers State University, were abducted by gunmen in Rivers and Imo states yesterday.
This development came on the same day the House of Representatives urged the federal government to uncover those responsible for killing five policemen in a Bauchi community last week.
Following the resignation of the Defence Minister, Abubakar Badaru, late Monday, President Bola Tinubu yesterday nominated the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, as his successor, while also meeting with security chiefs over the rising insecurity across the country.
In the Rivers incident, gunmen believed to be members of a cult group abducted at least five students of the Rivers State University, RSU, at the Emohua Satellite Campus in the early hours of yesterday.
The students were reportedly taken at gunpoint from their off-campus lodge in Emuoha, located in the Emohua Local Government Area.
It was learnt that students staying outside the campus had staged protests last week over continued attacks and harassment by cultists, urging the RSU management to relocate them to the main campus in Port Harcourt for safety.
However, during a pre-convocation briefing on Monday, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Isaac Zeb-Obipi, dismissed the idea of shutting the Emohua campus or relocating students, stating that the university was addressing the security issues through discussions with community leaders, council authorities, and security agencies.
A student who narrowly escaped the abduction but asked not to be named said the gunmen invaded their lodge around 2 am and shot the security dog dead before taking the victims away.
“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 recounted.
This latest attack came just days after an alleged robbery in Rumuji, occurring barely hours after the vice chancellor’s assurance of improved safety.
The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the abduction and described the attackers 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.
She explained that the police had already launched a manhunt for the kidnappers.
“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,” she added.
Efforts to obtain comments from state government officials proved unsuccessful as of press time yesterday.
Gunmen Hijack Bus, Kidnap 14 Travellers In Imo
In the Imo attack, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen reportedly hijacked an Aba-bound bus carrying 14 passengers on Monday evening at the Ngor Okpala area of Imo State.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers came out of the bush, fired shots repeatedly, and seized control of the bus travelling from Owerri to Aba in Abia State.
According to witnesses, panic broke out instantly, with other vehicles either reversing suddenly or stopping abruptly as frightened passengers fled in different directions.
“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,” an eyewitness said.
It should be recalled that suspected herders similarly abducted about 18 passengers in May 2025 in the same area.
A few weeks after that incident, more than 20 passengers were reportedly kidnapped in the same location, and two people were killed during the attack.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Imo State, Henry Okoye, stated that the incident had not yet been officially 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.
