Abductors of 3 Benue varsity students demand N21m ransom

Gunmen have abducted some students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM), Benue State.

The school authorities confirmed the incident, saying an unspecified number of students were taken away at gunpoint on Sunday night.

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The Director of Information, Protocol and Public Relations Unit, Rosemary Waku, made the disclosure on Monday.

“An unconfirmed number of students of FUAM were abducted at gunpoint by unknown persons from the campus on Sunday, 25th April 2021.

“The university has reported the incident to the police and all relevant security agencies.

“The university has not heard anything from the students or their captors since the unfortunate incident took place.”

The police in Benue State have also confirmed the abduction of three students of the university by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Catherine Anene, told journalists on Monday afternoon that the command received a report from the institution that the students were abducted at 10:30 pm on Saturday while they were studying close to the lecture theatre on the campus.

Anene added that the police had since swung into action to ensure the safe return of the students to their parents.

A witness in the school claimed that the abducted students were four and that they were reading at the College of Engineering premises when they were forced out at gunpoint and led into the bush.

Meanwhile, there was calm on Monday at the university despite the abduction of three students on campus.

Students and staff were seen going about their normal duties at both south and north core areas of the school.

Though the abductors have allegedly opened talks and demanding N21 million, it was however not clear at the time of this report whether they directly contacted the victims’ families or school authorities.

A staff of the institution who also declined his name on print identified those abducted as Salifu Solomon of the Department of Engineering, Bala Abdul Okema, a post-graduate student and Kwagher Israel, an undergraduate of the school.

The staff said in a hushed tone that the abductors are demanding N21 million for the release of their victims.

On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Richard Kimbir, told newsmen by telephone that the abductors have opened communication but did not comment further about the demands.