Gunmen have stormed a hostel at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Southsouth, Nigeria, and kidnapped three students, including a female.
The incident occurred on March 29, 2024, when the armed men invaded Freedom Hostel, owned by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), around 7:00 p.m. and forcefully took the victims to an unknown location.
Emmanuel Effiom, recalling how the gunmen applied force when met with resistance, described the abduction as brazen and terrifying, with one witness.
Confirming the development, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Banku Obi, identified the abducted students 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.
The police command in Cross River also confirmed the abduction, with spokesperson Irene Ugbo stating that the students were taken from one of the university hostels inside the campus on Thursday night.
While not providing details, Ugbo assured that the police, in collaboration with other agencies, were working towards rescuing the students.
Abductions of students by violent criminals, often for ransom, are unfortunately not uncommon in Nigeria. Though prevalent nationwide, such crimes are particularly rampant in the northern part of the country.
Several students abducted in the past, including recent incidents in Kaduna, are still held captive by their abductors.
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