Gunmen Kidnap Seven UNIJOS Students

Gunmen on Tuesday night kidnapped seven off-campus students of the University of Jos (UNIJOS). It was learnt the incident happened around 1:00 am when the students, who reside at a private hostel close to the former Nigerian School of Accountancy along Bauchi Ring Road in Jos North local government, were studying for their ongoing second-semester examination.

It was gathered the kidnappers, who numbered about five, stormed the hostel and broke into the room where they were reading, forced them into a waiting vehicle and zoomed off.

A student in a private hostel who craved anonymity informed the kidnappers sneaked into the hostel and held the seven students hostage at gun point for close to thirty minutes before they were forcefully led out of the premises.

The students added that other residents of the hostel, who were aware of the invasion, could not come out until the kidnappers left the scene, adding that the incident has been reported to the police and the authorities of the University of Jos.

It was also gathered the institution’s representatives visited the off-campus hostel on Wednesday for first-hand information.

A source close to one of the victims said the kidnappers called the family in the early hours of Wednesday, demanding an undisclosed ransom.

When contacted, Plateau police spokesman, DSP Alfred Alabo, who confirmed the incident, said men of the Command are combing the bush to rescue the students.

According to Alabo, the students were abducted by the gunmen on Monday night at their hostel located outside the campus.

He explained that the students were whisked away while reading for their second-semester examinations that commenced on Tuesday.

“It is true that seven students of the University of Jos were abducted by some criminal elements.

“They were picked on Monday at about 8:30 p.m. at their hostel, along Bauchi ring road in Jos North Local Government Area.

“The Commissioner of Police in the state, Bartholomew Onyeka, has deployed armed police personnel to arrest the kidnappers and ensure the safe release of the abducted students.

“Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), and security agencies have also deployed their personnel for search and rescue operation,” he said.

Alabo advised students and residents of the area to be calm, insisting that security agencies were working assiduously toward ensuring the safe return of the abducted students.