Crime
Gunmen demand N50m to release two university students abducted in Taraba
The suspected gunmen who abducted two students of the Federal University Wukari, Taraba State are demanding a ransom fee of N50 million in exchange for the freedom of the students.
This was disclosed by the institution’s head of information and protocol unit, Ashu Agbu, via a telephone interview with Channels TV.
During the recently conducted convocation ceremony, the Vice Chancellor stated that about 90 percent of the students and staff of the institution live outside the school premises.
One of the shops attached to the hostel accommodating these students outside the school premises came under attack on the night of Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at about 10:00PM by the kidnappers, who abducted the two students working as staff of a restaurant.
The students returned to rewrite their examinations because of the carryover they had.
According to Agbu, the abductors revealed that they actuality came for the owner of the eatery and not his staff and will return to get him.
She said that the security agencies and youths of the area are combing the surrounding forests and bush paths to apprehend the kidnappers and will not relent until the students are rescued alive and safe.
The two students abducted are identified as Joshua Sardauna from Economics department and Obianu Elizabeth from Microbiology department.
She said an expanded meeting will be held on Monday with security agencies, local, state and federal government representatives to find a lasting solution to the problem.
The kidnapping of students has been more rampant in recent months despite the government vowing to secure schools, saying every child has the right to study without fear.
Last week Thursday, three medical students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cross River State, South-South Nigeria were kidnapped inside the school campus.
The students were identified as Ojang Precious Ebejin, a 200-level student of the Department of Medicine and Surgery; Ugwu Chukwuemeka, a 300-level student of the Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, and Damilola Dickson, a final-year student of the same department.
Confirming the abduction, the spokesman for the Cross River State Police Command, SP Irene Ugbo, said the command along with other security agencies had launched a manhunt for criminals and ensure the rescue of the victims.
Ugbo said the students were abducted on Thursday night at one of the university’s hostels inside the campus but did not provide further information.
According to the police spokesman, “the police are working in collaboration with other agencies to rescue the students.”
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