JUST IN: Gunmen Abduct 10 Students, Shoot Two on Benin-Ore Road En Route to Easter Convention

Ten university students have been abducted and two others shot by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen along the Benin-Ore expressway in Ondo State. The victims, members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Campus Fellowship, were travelling from Rivers State to Babcock University in Ogun State for their annual Easter Convention when they were ambushed on Wednesday.

The students were from Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. According to an eyewitness, the gunmen opened fire on their bus, causing chaos and forcing several students to flee into the surrounding bush. Two students were shot during the attack—one sustained a gunshot wound to the back and remains in critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery.

Sources say the attackers have contacted the victims’ families, demanding ₦15 million in ransom for those still held captive. As of the time of reporting, 10 students remain in captivity while others who fled are still lost in the forest.

One source, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the ordeal as traumatic and criticized the lack of adequate security along the highway. The source also expressed concern over the driver’s suspicious escape, questioning how he managed to evade harm while the students were targeted.

Efforts to reach the Ondo State Police Command have so far been unsuccessful. Spokesperson Odunlami Ibukun did not respond to multiple calls or messages.

The Benin-Ore road has long been notorious for violent attacks and abductions, with many Nigerians calling for stronger security measures to protect travelers along this dangerous route.