By Uzair Adam Imam
On Thursday night, a group of bandits stormed the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTEC) in Osara, Okene, Kogi State, kidnapping several students as they prepared for upcoming exams.
An eyewitness reported that the bandits arrived at the university around 9:00 p.m., entering through the bush and infiltrating three lecture halls where students were studying.
They fired shots into the air, causing panic and trapping students inside.
Despite efforts by local security guards and gate personnel to confront the attackers, some students were abducted before the bandits could be repelled.
Fortunately, their intervention limited the bandits’ access to only the first three lecture halls.
The targeted students were getting ready for their first semester exams scheduled to begin on Monday, May 13, adding to the shock and distress of the incident.
One student, who wished to remain anonymous, described hiding in the bush with classmates for over an hour until the area quieted down enough for them to cautiously emerge.
While confirming the incident, CUSTEC Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdulraman Asipita, declined to provide further details on the number of students abducted, stating that the university is actively managing the situation.
Efforts to contact Kogi’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bethrand Onuoha, and Retired Cdre Jerry Omodara, the State Security Adviser, were unsuccessful, as their phones went unanswered.