Gunmen Abduct 19 in Rivers and Imo, Including Five Rivers State University Students

At least 19 people, including five students of Rivers State University (RSU), were abducted by gunmen in Rivers and Imo states on Tuesday, sparking fresh fears over rising insecurity in southeastern Nigeria.

The Rivers State attack occurred in the early hours at the Emohua Satellite Campus, where students living off-campus were reportedly targeted by suspected cultists. The victims were taken at gunpoint from their residence in Emuoha, Emohua Local Government Area. A security dog guarding the property was shot during the attack.

A student who narrowly escaped described the terrifying ordeal:
“He was running after me and even shot at me multiple times. I couldn’t look back because I was focused on escaping.”

Last week, students had protested against recurring attacks and harassment by cult groups, appealing to the RSU management to relocate them to the main campus in Port Harcourt for safety. At a pre-convocation briefing on Monday, Vice Chancellor Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi stated that relocating the campus was not an option. Instead, the university said it was addressing security concerns through engagement with local leaders, councils, and security agencies.

The Imo state incident involved the abduction of 14 bus passengers by unknown gunmen, further highlighting the region’s worsening security challenges.

These kidnappings coincide with heightened national security concerns. The House of Representatives recently demanded swift action to apprehend the perpetrators of last week’s killing of five policemen in Bauchi. Meanwhile, following the resignation of Defence Minister Abubakar Badaru on Monday, President Bola Tinubu nominated the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, as his replacement, signaling urgent moves to address national security threats.

Security experts warn that repeated attacks on students and commuters risk undermining public confidence and may necessitate stronger protective measures from both federal and state authorities.