JUST IN… Gunmen kidnap students from Abia varsity

The students were said to be moving in a van from Okigwe to Uturu between 7:00p.m and 8:00p.m when the armed gang attacked and dragged them into the forest.

According to John Kalu, the Commissioner for Information in the state, two of the students were able to escape, leaving the rest still being held hostage by the criminals.

“Abia State Government is currently monitoring an incident that happened in Okigwe, Imo State, yesterday which led to the suspected abduction of yet to be determined number of students of the Abia State University, Uturu, who apparently ran into a yet to be identified gang of hoodlums operating along the Okigwe-Uturu Road,” the Commissioner said in a statement on Thursday

“Preliminary information available to us indicates that the students were moving in a mini van from Okigwe to Uturu between 7pm – 8pm when they ran into the armed gang who marched them into the nearby forest along with other yet to be identified travelers.

“Two of the students managed to escape from the hoodlums while others are still being held at a yet to be identified location.

“We are working with the government of Imo State and relevant security agencies in both states to ensure the rescue of the abducted students and others.

READ ALSO; Troops kill scores of Boko Haram fighters, rescue 11 hostages in Borno

“Members of the public and ABSU community are advised to remain calm as we will spare no resource in ensuring the safety of the victims.

“No criminal operating within our environment will be allowed to escape justice as we take the job of protecting lives and property of Abians and visitors to the State very seriously.”

The cases of kidnap among Nigerian students have been on the high side lately, as there have been similar incidents in Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Kaduna, and now Abia.

Ripples Nigeria on Wednesday reported the release of 29 abducted students of the Federal College of Forestry, Afaka in Kaduna State. A total of 39 had been abducted on the night of 11 March before 10 were released in two batches after payment of ransom.

Another 16 students of Greenfield University, Kaduna are also currently being held in captivity by bandits, with their abductors demanding N100m and threatening to kill them all if ignored.

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