Following the abduction of four students, all women, from the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka Federal University, formerly known as the Federal University of Agriculture, in Makurdi, Benue State, North-central Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has demanded their “immediate and unconditional release.”
“The abduction of these students is not only an attack on their fundamental rights but also an assault on the educational system and the safety of all Nigerian students,” said Ojila Monday, Chairperson of the NANS Joint Campus Council (NANS-JCC) in the Benue State Axis.
Aondowase Akpoughol, a final-year veterinary medicine student at the university, told HumAngle that he learnt the students were kidnapped by unidentified armed men between Zamfara Hostel and Ring Road on the campus’s North Core on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 25, as they were heading to the auditorium to study. Sewuese Anene, the Benue Police Command spokesperson, confirmed that the incident occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. that day.
“This insecurity is crippling the academic environment, leaving students in fear and uncertainty,” Monday added. Akpoughol, who resides on campus, echoed this sentiment: “One of those abducted is my friend’s niece. Students are scared, and there have been protests on campus.”
In response to the attack, the university management has directed all students to vacate the hostels by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27. It has also postponed the inaugural lecture, which was scheduled to be held today. “Several students have left the campus,” Akpoughol added.
“Since the incident, classes have been on hold,” a final-year civil engineering student at the university, who lives off-campus, told HumAngle.
Meanwhile, NANS has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Benue State Government and all relevant security agencies to ensure the students’ safe return.
“We have not heard anything from the government, and the kidnappers have also not reached out. We can only imagine what the students are going through,” Friday Chenge, Secretary of NANS-JCC Benue State Axis, told HumAngle.
The abduction occurred the same day the University’s vice-chancellor, Prof. Nathaniel Itodo, unveiled additional security equipment on campus and announced plans to introduce surveillance tools to enhance security measures.
“[We] condemn the incident in its entirety, [the] government and security agencies have been duly informed,” John David, the University’s Registrar, said in an internal memo.
Benue State has been hard hit by violence from armed herders, who have killed and displaced several residents, including in Makurdi. This is also not the first time kidnappers have targeted the university. In April 2021, an unknown number of students were abducted on campus.
Four female students were abducted from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka Federal University in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, prompting a demand from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for their immediate release.
The incident occurred as the students were heading to study and has caused significant distress among the university community, leading to campus protests and class suspensions.
In response, the university ordered students to vacate hostels and postponed events. The abduction took place on the same day the vice-chancellor introduced new security measures, highlighting ongoing security concerns in the region. NANS has given authorities a 24-hour ultimatum to secure the students’ release, while previous kidnappings in the area underscore the chronic issue of violence from armed groups in Benue State.