Kidnappers Of Nasarawa Varsity Students Demand N20m Ransom

Abductors of four students of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi allegedly demanded N20 million ransom on Tuesday after establishing contact with the school authorities.

THE WHISTLER reports that the armed men invaded an off-campus residence of the students in the state’s Angwan Kaare area.

The sparsely populated area is about a 20-minute drive away from the main campus.

Sources who did not want to be identified due to the situation’s sensitivity said, “The kidnappers contacted our chief security officer earlier in the day (Tuesday) demanding N20m ransom. They have also called the parents of the abducted victims.”

The students, all in 100-level, including three females and a male, were whisked away after the assailants invaded the residence at about 10 p.m. on Monday, shooting sporadically in the air.

Pictures and videos obtained by THE WHISTLER showed bullet shells in one of the student’s apartments.

Multiple sources confirmed to THE WHISTLER that the assailants operated for over an hour before the arrival of police and military personnel.

“By the time they’d arrived, the armed men already kidnapped the students,” the university’s Chairman of the Committee on Security, Tim, told THE WHISTLER.

Students who spoke to our correspondent noted that the assailants were dressed in black and came in a vehicle while wielding weapons.

“I saw four people in a vehicle carrying weapons while coming from the NASSA (Nasarawa State Student Association) President’s House yesterday (Monday).

“The vehicle was coming at an unusual speed. Still, we did not know their intention until we heard gunshots, and everyone had to disperse,” a student who resides opposite the attacked hostel told THE WHISTLER.

Our correspondent, however, gathered that the kidnappers successfully whisked away the students because many of them had mistook the assailants for police operatives.

“Sometimes policemen come to some of our hostels to intimidate and harass students. I do not support the criminals among us, but it is unfair because when the incident happened yesterday, many students thought they were the same people who went from house to house to harass students.

“It was until they began to hear gunshots that they began to call the school authorities.

“Honestly, there is no difference between the armed men and the policemen, and we want them to do better,” another student who pleaded anonymity said.

When contacted, the state’s police spokesperson, Ramhan Nansel, said he was unaware of the alleged demand for ransom by the kidnappers.

“I can’t confirm this because the family is better positioned to do so,” Nansel said.

When asked to react to the allegation of harassment of students by command operatives, the police spokesperson said, “The command has never received a complaint of harassment from students nor the school authority.

“We made telephone numbers available to members of the public call-in case of distress or harassment, and the Commissioner of Police has warned all operatives of the Command to be civil to members of the public at all times.”

He, however, noted that more deployment has been made to the general area of the incident, adding, “There shall be intensified foot and vehicular patrols.”