The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the kidnap of some students from the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, in Benue state, from the school premises.
The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), DSP Catherine Anene, who spoke to journalists, in her office at the command headquarters, on Monday said three students were kidnapped.
According to her, the incident happened at about 10:20 p.m last Saturday.
Anene told journalists that “Information had been received from the school authority that on the 24th of April, 2021, that at about 10:20 pm, some unknown persons came to the school premises and kidnapped three of their students who were studying close to a lecture hall.
“We have received that information and we are on it and I know that we are very close.
“For now, my advice is that members of the public should remain calm. We will continue to do our best and ensure we get to the root and apprehend the perpetrators of this crime.
“I assure the parents of the students that we are doing our best to ensure that they get back their children, so they should not be tensed,” she said.
A student (eyewitness), who didn’t want to be named said that the incident took place at North Campus, outside the Engineering lecture hall.
According to him, the kidnappers, who were heavily armed, came on foot and took their victims through a bush path.
“I was in the hall when it happened. It was in the night around 11p.m. We have just finished our convocation and I had a lot of things to do. So I went to North Corp to read at the old auditorium Engineering hall. I was still arranging my books when I heard a cock of the gun outside the hall.
“And swiftly, a commando style, they took two student who were in a vehicle; their vehicle is still parked there till now, and four others away into the bush.
“Initially, they took seven students but one guy was in white and they told him to go back that he can be easily traced, so he came back and one girl managed to escape. It happened so fast and within two to five minutes, they were gone.
After the incident, students reportedly scampered for safety and have been in fear since then.
The school management has also confirmed the incident but was quiet on the number and identity of students kidnapped.
The university’s Director of Information, Protocol and Public Relations Unit (IPPR), Mrs Rosemary Waku, confirmed the attack saying:
“An unconfirmed number of students of FUAM were abducted at gunpoint by unknown persons from the campus on Sunday 25th April 2021.
“The University has reported the incident to the police and all relevant security agencies.
“The University has not heard anything from the students or their captors since the unfortunate incidence took place.”
FUAM is the second university and the third tertiary school to be attacked by gunmen this year.
Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation was attacked in March, while Greenfield University was attacked 20th April.
The two schools are in Kaduna state.
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