Gunmen Abduct 19 in Rivers, Imo, Including Rivers State University Students

Gunmen Abduct 19 in Rivers, Imo, Including Rivers State University Students

At least 19 people were abducted by gunmen in Rivers and Imo states on Monday and Tuesday, including five students from Rivers State University (RSU), highlighting growing insecurity in the South-South and South-East regions.

In Rivers State, the victims were reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint from off-campus accommodation at RSU’s Emohua Satellite Campus in Emohua Local Government Area. The students had earlier protested persistent attacks and harassment by suspected cultists, requesting relocation to the main campus in Port Harcourt. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, had previously ruled out closing or relocating the campus, assuring that security measures were being implemented with local authorities.

A student who narrowly escaped the attack said gunmen shot at him while abducting others. Rivers State Police spokesperson SP Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the abductions, describing the perpetrators as cultists and stating that tactical units had been deployed to rescue the students.

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Meanwhile, in Imo State, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen hijacked an Aba-bound bus with 14 passengers at Ngor Okpala. Eyewitnesses said the attackers emerged from the bush, fired shots, and took control of the vehicle, causing panic among other road users. This follows a string of similar attacks in the area, including kidnappings in May and subsequent incidents in which passengers were abducted and two people killed.

The attacks come amid heightened national security concerns. On Monday, President Bola Tinubu nominated General Christopher Musa, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, as the new Minister of Defence following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru. Musa is expected to be screened by the Nigerian Senate this week as part of efforts to strengthen the government’s response to banditry, terrorism, and other threats.

The House of Representatives also urged the federal government to apprehend the murderers of five police officers killed in Bauchi last week, reflecting growing alarm over Nigeria’s security situation.

Authorities in both states have deployed tactical police units to pursue the abductors and secure the release of the victims, while investigations continue.

Gunmen Abduct 19 in Rivers, Imo, Including Rivers State University Students