No fewer than 19 people were abducted on Monday in two separate incidents in Rivers and Imo states, deepening concerns about rising insecurity across the country.
Gunmen suspected to be members of a cult group stormed the Emohua Satellite Campus of the Rivers State University (RSU) in the early hours of Tuesday, abducting at least five students from their off-campus residence in Emuoha, Emohua LGA.
The assailants reportedly shot and killed the compound’s security dog before taking the students away at gunpoint.
A student who escaped the attack said the incident occurred around 2 a.m.
“He was running after me and even shot at me. I don’t know how many times. I couldn’t look back. Some of our students, about four or so, are missing now,” NAIJAONPOINT said.
Students living off-campus had protested last week over repeated cult attacks and asked the school management to relocate them to the Port Harcourt main campus. However, at a pre-convocation briefing on Monday, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, ruled out a shutdown of the Emohua campus, insisting that security concerns were being addressed through engagement with community leaders and security agencies.
Confirming the incident, Rivers State Police spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said:
“They were abducted by cultists… The police have launched a manhunt and tactical teams have been deployed to secure their safe release.”
Efforts to get comments from state government officials were unsuccessful.
Gunmen Hijack Bus, Kidnap 14 Passengers in Imo
In a separate incident, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen hijacked an Aba-bound commercial bus and abducted all 14 passengers along the Ngor Okpala axis of the Owerri–Aba Road on Monday evening.
Witnesses said the attackers emerged suddenly from the bush, shooting sporadically before commandeering the vehicle.
The attack triggered chaos as motorists reversed abruptly while passengers fled into the bush for safety.
“They came out of the bush and started shooting, then kidnapped passengers in a loaded bus. People were running everywhere,” an eyewitness said.
The area has suffered a series of similar attacks this year. In May 2025, 18 passengers were abducted in that same axis. Weeks later, over 20 more were kidnapped and two people killed.
Imo Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, said the latest incident had not yet been officially reported but confirmed that tactical units had been deployed for “robust fact-finding patrols” along the route.
“Further details will be communicated in due course,” the PPRO added.