PORTHARCOURT: Five students at the Rivers State University have been abducted by armed men suspected to be cultists in the early hours of Tuesday at an off-campus residence in the Rumuchi/Rumuohia area of Emuoha, Rivers State.
The attackers reportedly fired several shots, killed a security dog, and took the students away.
A female student who escaped said she initially thought the gunfire was fireworks until she realized the gunmen were invading their lodge.
The incident comes barely a week after RSU students protested continuous attacks around the Emuoha satellite campus and demanded relocation to the main campus.
Despite their concerns, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi had ruled out shutting down the campus, insisting security measures and community engagements were underway.
Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the abduction, describing the operation as commando-style, and said tactical teams had been deployed to rescue the victims.
Meanwhile, Emuoha Local Government Chairman, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, announced the arrest of two suspects linked to last week’s attack on RSU students.
He vowed that the satellite campus would not be moved, stressing that criminals were attempting to scare students away to seize control of the area.
It’s their strategy frighten students, so they run. We will not allow that, he said.
Search efforts are ongoing as families and students anxiously await updates on the kidnapped undergraduates.
