Hobnob News | July 29, 2025 – Anambra, Nigeria
A wave of concern has swept through legal and civil society circles following the abduction of six Nigerian Law School students from Anambra State, who were kidnapped while travelling from Onitsha to Yola, Adamawa State.
The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has urgently called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo and Commissioner of Police CP Ikioye Orutugu to collaborate with their counterparts in Benue and Taraba States to secure the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted students.
According to eyewitness accounts, the incident occurred on Saturday, July 26, between the Benue–Taraba boundary. The students were returning to campus at the Nigerian Law School, Yola Branch, following a mandatory externship break.
A fellow law student at the Yola campus, Damilare Adenola, confirmed the incident, listing some of the abducted students as:
Rev. Ernest Okafor
Ogbuka Fabian
Nwamma Philip
Okechukwu Obadiegwu
Obalem Emmanuel
Obiorah David
Ransom Demands and Mounting Pressure
Sources close to the case revealed that the abductors are demanding a ransom of N120 million (N20 million per student) for their release. Intersociety described the development as a national tragedy and an alarming threat to education and rule of law.
In a statement signed by Nze Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Intersociety, the group said:
“The six abducted citizens are Anambra-born lawyers who have completed their university degrees and are now in the final stages of legal qualification. Their future value to Nigeria, and especially Anambra State, is immeasurable. Losing them would be an irreparable blow.”
The group appealed to the Anambra State Government and security agencies to act with urgency, noting that the abducted students represent the hope and future of the Nigerian legal profession.
Call for Coordinated Rescue Efforts
Intersociety urged Governor Soludo to liaise directly with his counterparts in Benue and Taraba, where the kidnapping reportedly occurred, and to mobilise all relevant security and intelligence resources to facilitate the students’ release.
They also called on the authorities of the Nigerian Law School to intervene by pressing the federal government and security agencies to prioritize the case.
“This is not just about six individuals. It is a test of our collective commitment to education, security, and justice,” the group emphasized.
As of press time, no official response has been issued by the Anambra State Government or federal authorities regarding rescue efforts.
The students’ whereabouts remain unknown, heightening public anxiety and calls for immediate action.
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