No fewer than 19 persons, including five students of Rivers State University (RSU), were kidnapped in separate incidents in Rivers and Imo states on Monday.
The House of Representatives also urged the Federal Government to arrest those responsible for the killing of five policemen in Bauchi State.
The abduction of the RSU students occurred early Tuesday when armed men suspected to be cultists invaded an off-campus residence at the Emohua Satellite Campus in Emohua Local Government Area.
The attackers were said to have shot dead a security dog before taking away the victims at gunpoint.
Students had protested repeated attacks last week and asked to be relocated to the main campus, but the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, ruled out closure, saying the university was addressing security concerns through engagements with community leaders and security agencies.
A student who escaped the attack said he fled while being chased. “He was running after me and even shot at me, I don’t know how many times. I couldn’t look back because I was focused on escaping. Someone from the bush then ran after me. I had to run faster to the gate. Some of our students, about four or so, are missing now,” he said.
Spokesperson of the Rivers Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident. She said five cultists stormed an isolated area of Rumuchi/Rumuohia, shot sporadically and abducted the victims.
She said security operatives had begun a manhunt. “We have put efforts in place for their safe rescue. As I speak, the commissioner of police has gone there with tactical teams to ensure they regain their freedom,” she said.
In Imo State, 14 passengers travelling in an Aba-bound commercial bus were kidnapped on Monday evening at Ngor Okpala.
Witnesses said gunmen believed to be herders emerged from the bush, fired shots and took control of the vehicle travelling from Owerri to Aba.
The shooting caused panic, with some passengers fleeing into the bush while others reversed their vehicles.
“They came out of the bush and started shooting; and then kidnapped passengers in a fully loaded bus. Many passengers ran out of their vehicles, some ran into the bush, others ran back; the situation was terrifying,” a witness said.
The corridor has recorded repeated abductions, including a similar incident in May 2025 involving 18 passengers and another weeks later in which more than 20 passengers were abducted.
Police Public Relations Officer in Imo, Henry Okoye, said the latest incident had not yet been reported. He said the commissioner of police had deployed tactical units on a fact-finding patrol along the Owerri–Aba Expressway.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Federal Government to arrest and prosecute those behind the November 29 attack that killed five policemen in Sabon Sara, Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency of Bauchi State.
The officers killed were DSP Ahmad Muhammad, ASP Mustapha Muhammad, Inspector Amarhel Yunusa, Inspector Idris Ahmed and Corporal Isah Muazu. Two others, Inspector Isah Musa and Inspector Yusuf Gambo, were injured.
The motion was moved by Mansur Soro, who represents the constituency. He said the officers were ambushed while carrying out a lawful operation.
“The House is disturbed that credible intelligence linking the attack to an armed group resisting the arrest of the dethroned hamlet head of Sabon Sara village, whose actions pose a continued threat to security and community stability, has not been acted upon,” he said.
Soro commended Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for efforts in keeping the state free from bandits and other violent groups, noting that Bauchi had been free of banditry for six years.
He warned that the families of the slain officers were going through hardship. “The House is worried that the families of the deceased and injured officers now face severe emotional and economic hardship and require immediate attention,” he said.
He said supporting officers killed or injured in the line of duty was key to sustaining police morale and operational effectiveness.
Adopting the motion, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the Police Trust Fund and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to provide palliatives and welfare assistance to the families.
The House also urged the Inspector-General of Police to fast-track payment of statutory entitlements, insurance benefits and medical care for the injured officers, while directing its Committee on National Security and Police Affairs to ensure compliance.
