FEAR and anxiety have gripped the Nigerian Law School community following the abduction of at least six students by armed men suspected to be bandits, along a notorious stretch of road between Taraba and Benue States.
News Point Nigeria reports that the incident, which occurred in the late hours of Saturday, July 26, involved students who were travelling from Onitsha, Anambra State, to resume academic activities at the Yola campus of the Nigerian Law School in Adamawa State.
The campus is scheduled to reopen on Monday, July 28, after students concluded their mandatory court externship programme.
One of the students, Damilare Adenola, confirmed the development in a phone interview with News Point Nigeria on Sunday, revealing that six of his colleagues were taken captive during the journey.
“Six students of the Nigerian Law School have been reportedly kidnapped by suspected armed bandits while travelling to resume school after their court externship break,” Adenola said with worry.
He identified the abducted students as:
Rev. Ernest Okafor
Ogbuka Fabian
Nwamma Philip
Okechukwu Obadiegwu
Obalem Emmanuel
Obiorah David
The route where the attack occurred reportedly between Wukari in Taraba and the Benue boundary is notorious for its high rate of violent crimes, including kidnappings, armed robbery, and occasional herdsmen attacks.
Travellers often dread this corridor, especially during late hours.
A student union leader at the Yola campus, who pleaded anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the incident, confirmed that the matter has been officially reported to security agencies.
“We are all in shock here in Yola,” the student leader stated. “We’ve been in contact with the Adamawa State Police Command, but we’ve also been told that the incident happened outside their jurisdiction. We are waiting and praying for more concrete updates.”
Our reporter contacted the Adamawa State Police Command on Sunday. Its spokesperson, SP Yahaya Suleiman, acknowledged the reports but clarified that the incident occurred outside Adamawa State’s territory.
“The abduction did not happen within Adamawa borders. We’ve traced the location to an area near Benue,” Suleiman said.
He assured that police across affected states are working together to ensure the safe return of the students.
“We are in constant communication with the Benue State Police Command and other relevant security outfits. The safety of those travelling into or out of Adamawa is a top priority,” Suleiman stressed.
As of press time, efforts to reach the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, SP Anene Catherine by News Point Nigeria, proved unsuccessful.
Several calls and text messages sent to her line remained unanswered, leaving families and friends of the abducted students in growing uncertainty.
This abduction is the latest in a disturbing pattern of attacks targeting travellers across Nigeria’s interstate highways, particularly those in the North-Central and North-East regions.
The Benue-Taraba-Wukari corridor has become a known flashpoint, with frequent attacks by armed groups and kidnappers.
The Nigerian Law School, an institution responsible for training future lawyers, has not been immune to these realities. With students travelling from all corners of the country to one of its six campuses, security has increasingly become a concern for families and administrators alike.