Abductor of 7 ABSU Students demand N14m ransom
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have abducted seven students of the Abia State University Uturu (ABSU).
The abductors were reported to have contacted the families of the students and demanded N2m for each of their victims.
The students were kidnapped along the Okigwe/Uturu road when the bus they were travelling with other passengers was ambushed by the gunmen aound 8:00pm on Thursday, March 31, however, it was not until weekend that the news spread around.
Two of the victims have been identified as Mejeh Emmanuel and Divine Nwachukwu, both medical students.
A release by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the university, assured that efforts were being intensified to secure the release of the affected students, while advising students to avoid night travels.
Meanwhile, the Abia and Imo State Police Commands have joined forces in efforts to rescue the students.
Spokesperson of the Command in Abia, Geoffrey Ogbonna, on Sunday, confirmed the kidnapping of the seven students, saying that they have not been freed.
He explained that joint efforts of the two stated police commands were needed because the kidnap incident occurred at the axis of the road located in Imo State while the victims are students of Abia State owned institution.
“Abia State and Imo State commands are on the matter. The students are from Abia and from what I heard, they are about seven in number,” he said.
Speaking on the development, the Vice-chancellor of ABSU, Prof, Onyemachi Ogbulu, confirmed that the kidnappers have already made contact and requested for ransom before the students could be freed.
According to him, the abductors had contacted him on Friday and demanded for N10 million on each of the students but 24 hours later they reduced the ransom to N2 million.
The ABSU VC expressed his frustration with the security agencies, saying that the institution is tired of hearing about frequent kidnappings of its students in spite of heavy presence of security agents along the road leading to the campus.
About The Author
