Six Senior Defence Officers En Route to Abuja from Lagos Kidnapped by Gunmen in Brutal Ambush

Panic spread through the Federal Civil Service on Monday, November 10, 2025, after six Directors of the Federal Ministry of Defence were abducted by suspected gunmen along the Kabba–Lokoja highway. The senior officials were reportedly on their way from Lagos to Abuja for a Directorate-level promotion examination when their convoy was ambushed in what sources described as a coordinated attack.

The incident has caused deep anxiety within the Defence Ministry and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), raising new concerns about the safety of public officials travelling for official duties.

In a joint statement, ASCSN President Shehu Mohammed and Secretary-General Joshua Apebo condemned the abduction and assured members that every effort was being made to secure the victims’ release. Those kidnapped were identified as Mrs. Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs. C.A. Emeribe, Mrs. C. Helen Ezeakor, Mrs. C.A. Ladoye, Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike, and Mrs. Catherine O. Essien—all Directors and staff of Command Day Secondary School (CDSS), Ojo, Lagos.

The union revealed that the Defence Ministry had already mobilized security operatives, who are working urgently to ensure the safe rescue of the kidnapped officials. It also renewed its long-standing call for the Federal Civil Service Commission to decentralize promotion examinations and other official assessments to prevent unnecessary travel amid worsening security conditions.

“The current security situation and deplorable state of the roads expose workers to grave danger,” the ASCSN warned, urging the government to prioritize the safety of civil servants.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has intensified operations in Kogi State, deploying specialized security teams to track the abductors and locate the victims. The ASCSN commended the ministry’s swift response and urged all security agencies to sustain their efforts until the abducted Directors are safely rescued.