Gunmen struck along the east-west road in the Ughelli area of Delta State, Nigeria, reportedly abducting an unconfirmed number of students who were traveling from Calabar, the capital of Cross River state. The incident, which occurred on Friday evening, has sent shockwaves through the community and added to the growing list of student abductions plaguing the country.
Delta State Police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, confirmed the abduction on Monday, revealing that the police are actively pursuing the abductors in a bid to secure the safe release of the students. The specifics regarding the number of students taken remain unclear as of now.
This latest abduction incident compounds the ongoing crisis of student kidnappings in Nigeria. Just earlier in March, gunmen abducted 137 students from Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School in Kuriga community, Kaduna state, followed by another incident where 15 students were kidnapped from a Tsangaya school in Gidan Baya, Gada LGA of Sokoto state.
These incidents serve as grim reminders of the persistent security challenges facing educational institutions across the country. The abduction of students has become distressingly common, leaving parents, teachers, and authorities grappling with fear and uncertainty.
In January, gunmen targeted students of the Apostolic Faith School in Ekiti state, kidnapping them after ambushing their school bus. Such brazen attacks underscore the urgent need for comprehensive security reforms and proactive measures to protect Nigeria's vulnerable student population.
As the nation reels from yet another abduction, calls for heightened security and decisive action to combat the scourge of student kidnappings grow louder. The safety and well-being of Nigeria's students hang precariously in the balance as authorities race against time to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the safe return of the abducted students.
