Gunmen Abduct 10 Students on Benin-Ore Road, Demand ₦15M Ransom
Suspected herdsmen on Wednesday ambushed a bus carrying students from Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education along the Benin-Ore expressway in Ondo State, abducting 10 students and shooting two others.
The victims, all members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Campus Fellowship, were en route to Babcock University, Ogun State, for their annual Easter Convention when the attack occurred.
One of the shot victims, hit in the back, underwent emergency surgery and is currently in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital. The incident has been described by sources as traumatic, with many expressing outrage over the persistent lack of security on the notorious highway.
Some students managed to flee into the bush during the attack, but several remain missing or unaccounted for. The kidnappers have since contacted the families of the victims, demanding a ₦15 million ransom for their release.
There is growing suspicion around the bus driver’s role, as he reportedly escaped unharmed while the students were captured. This has raised questions among families and authorities about possible complicity.
The Benin-Ore expressway has long been a hotspot for kidnappings and bandit attacks, with minimal response from security agencies. Attempts to get a statement from the Ondo State Police Command were unsuccessful, as spokesperson Odunlami Ibukun did not respond to calls or messages.
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