Tragedy struck on Wednesday as gunmen suspected to be herdsmen ambushed a bus conveying students from Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, abducting ten and shooting two others.
The students, all members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Campus Fellowship, were en route to Babcock University, Ogun State, for their annual Easter Convention when the attack occurred along the Benin-Ore expressway.
Eyewitnesses described the attack as harrowing, accusing security agencies of neglect and failure to curb the rising spate of violence on the highway. “University students from my state university and a sister university were kidnapped and some shot along Ore Road while heading to Babcock for their annual Easter Convention,” a source familiar with the incident recounted. “These students were part of the National Association of Adventist Students (NAAS), and sadly, some were my close friends and relatives.”
According to reports, the attackers opened fire on the bus, causing widespread panic. Some students managed to escape into the surrounding bush, while two were shot during the chaos. One of the victims, hit in the back, is currently in critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery to remove a bullet.
Images obtained by SaharaReporters show medical personnel attending to the wounded student. “He’s fighting for his life,” a friend said. “The doctor just removed the bullet tonight. I recently witnessed another herdsmen killing at the Federal Secretariat bus stop, and it’s heartbreaking.”
The gunmen have reportedly contacted the families of the abducted students, demanding ₦15 million for their release. “They are demanding N15 million from the families. Some students sustained serious, life-altering injuries. Others are still missing in the bush,” the source added.
As of Thursday morning, ten students remain in captivity. Several others who fled during the attack are still unaccounted for, believed to be lost in the surrounding forests of Ore.
Efforts to reach the Ondo State Police Command have so far been unsuccessful. The Command’s spokesperson, Odunlami Ibukun, did not respond to repeated calls or text messages.
The incident adds to growing concerns over the safety of Nigeria’s highways, with renewed calls for government action to tackle banditry and ensure the safety of travellers.
