Law enforcement initiates search operation after armed attackers abduct three university students in Nasarawa

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The Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Police Force says it has launched a manhunt for the kidnappers of three students of the Federal University of Lafia.

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PUNCH Metro learnt on Tuesday that the students were said to have been abducted at their lodge, which is off the university’s campus.

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Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred at about 8:45pm on Saturday at Sure Leaders Lodge in the Bukan Kwato area around the school.

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Speaking in an interview with our correspondent in Lafia on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, said a manhunt had been launched to rescue the victims unharmed and track down the kidnappers.

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Meanwhile, he noted that no arrest had so far been made, but there were ongoing underground efforts to get the students released in no distant time.

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The PPRO said, “So far, no arrest has been made, but efforts are ongoing to ensure their safe release. Though there are underground works that have been done on the pipeline, we expect to get them released soon.

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“We have some people (suspects) we have pencilled down who have been recognised, but we are waiting for confirmation. But with what is going on, they will soon be out of that place.”

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A student of the institution who pleaded anonymity because he was not permitted to speak on the matter confirmed to our correspondent that the incident occurred at about 8:45pm on Saturday at Sure Leaders Lodge in the Bukan Kwato area around the school.

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According to the source, the victims are all 100-level students of the university.

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“They are all 100-level students of the university. The issue of kidnapping in this environment has become a thing of great concern.

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“We are urging the government to help us out of the situation by deploying enough security personnel around the university because we are now becoming scared to sleep with our two eyes closed,” the source said.

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Our correspondent further reports that the abduction is the latest security incident involving students of the institution.

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The kidnapping has sparked concern among students and parents over safety around the off-campus hostels in the area.

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When asked about the incident, sources from the Information Unit of the Federal University of Lafia said the department was not aware of the reported kidnapping but confirmed knowledge of an attack on a female student of the institution.

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As of the time of filing this report, the management of the Federal University of Lafia had not issued an official statement on the incident.

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