Gunmen Abduct 100-Level Female Student, Shoot Another Person in Plateau

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 100-level female student of Plateau State University (PLASU), Bokkos, and shot another person during an attack on an off-campus student residential area in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The incident, which occurred at about 8:40 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2026, has heightened concerns over the safety of students living outside the university campus.

The abducted student was reportedly in the company of another female student when the attackers seized her. Her whereabouts remained unknown as of Sunday, November 1, while residents and members of the university community appealed to security agencies to secure her release.

A student of the institution, who spoke to journalists in Jos on condition of anonymity, confirmed the abduction and expressed concern over the growing insecurity in the university community.

“Yes, the student was taken away by the attackers last night, and we have not seen her since then. She lives off-campus, but I don’t know her personally,” the student said.

He appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts to locate the abducted undergraduate and ensure her safe return.

A staff member of the university also confirmed that the management was aware of a reported shooting incident in one of the off-campus student residential areas.

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According to the staff member, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, the latest incident was the second reported shooting in the area within four weeks.

“While the incident did not occur within the university campus, which remains our direct responsibility to secure, we are deeply concerned that any of our students living off-campus should face such threats to their safety,” the staff member said.

The university management expressed concern over the exposure of students residing outside the institution to security threats, noting that it had been making efforts to provide safer accommodation within the campus.

The administration of Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shadrack Best, has reportedly prioritised the provision of secure on-campus accommodation for students. However, financial constraints have limited the institution’s capacity to accommodate a relatively small proportion of its student population.

The university currently has accommodation for only about 1,000 students in its halls of residence, despite having nearly 20,000 students.

The staff member said the institution would continue to engage relevant authorities to expand accommodation facilities and strengthen security arrangements for students.

He also acknowledged the support of Plateau State Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, who is the university’s Visitor, and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in providing critical infrastructure for the institution.

The latest attack has renewed concerns about the security of students living in private hostels and residential communities around Plateau State University, particularly those who cannot secure accommodation within the campus.

Efforts to obtain comments from the Plateau State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time the initial reports were filed. The command’s spokesperson, SP Alfred Alabo, could not be reached for an official reaction.

The circumstances surrounding the abduction, the identity of the attackers and the condition of the person who was shot were not immediately clear.

Meanwhile, students and members of the university community are calling for stronger security measures in Bokkos to prevent further attacks and protect residents, particularly students living outside the university premises.

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Three people have died and five others have been rescued after a two-storey commercial building collapsed in Owode-Ede, Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State, trapping workers beneath the rubble.

The incident occurred late on Friday, October 30, 2026, at Zone 8, Oke Alaafia Community, throwing residents into panic and triggering an overnight search-and-rescue operation by emergency responders.

The collapsed structure was a shopping complex reportedly under construction. It contained shops and stores, while some construction workers, identified as tiling apprentices, were staying inside the building ahead of the following day’s work.

According to reports, eight people were trapped when the building came down at about 11 p.m. Residents alerted security operatives, who contacted the Federal Fire Service for emergency assistance.

The Federal Fire Service subsequently deployed rescue personnel to the scene, working alongside the Osun State Fire Service, the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The Federal Fire Service confirmed that three victims were recovered dead, while five others were rescued alive and taken to Idera Specialist Hospital in Ede for medical attention.

The agency’s Public Relations Officer, Olamide Ojo, described the collapsed structure as a two-storey commercial complex comprising six shops on the upper floor, six shops on the middle floor and two stores on the ground floor.

Preliminary investigations by the Federal Fire Service suggested that structural defects and the use of substandard building materials might have contributed to the collapse.

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However, further investigations would be required to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether construction standards were violated.

The Osun State Commandant of the Federal Fire Service, Femi Isaac, also disclosed that four of the five rescued victims sustained serious injuries, including fractures to their legs and hands. The remaining survivor reportedly escaped without injury.

Isaac said the victims were tiling apprentices working on the shopping complex and that their supervisor was not present when the building collapsed.

He added that the workers had reportedly noticed signs of structural weakness before the incident. According to him, the most senior apprentice told rescuers that he had warned his colleagues against sleeping on the upper floor shortly before the building gave way.

The rescue operation involved personnel of the Federal Fire Service, the Osun State Fire Service, the Nigeria Police Force and the NSCDC.

The three bodies were handed over to operatives of the Nigeria Police Force at A Division, Ede, while the injured survivors received medical attention.

The Federal Fire Service estimated the value of property lost in the collapse at approximately ₦100 million, while property worth about ₦150 million was reportedly saved during the emergency operation.

The search-and-rescue exercise was completed on Saturday morning, October 31, with the responding fire service personnel returning to their station at about 9:26 a.m.

The incident has renewed concerns about building safety, construction standards and regulatory enforcement in Nigeria, particularly amid recurring reports of building collapses across the country.

The Federal Fire Service expressed sympathy with the families of the deceased and urged developers, property owners and residents to comply with approved building regulations, use quality construction materials and report emergencies promptly.