The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Sunday raised an alarm over the growing wave of kidnappings targeting students across the country.
The body urged the Federal Government to urgently secure campuses before the crisis spirals out of control.
This call followed the abduction of three first-year engineering students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Benue State.
The students were reportedly kidnapped on the night of February 25 while returning from night study — a routine activity now shadowed by fear.
NANS National Vice President for Inter-Campus Affairs, Felicia Akinbodunse, voiced the frustration and fear gripping students nationwide in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
“This is not only worrisome but an ugly trend that needs to be arrested before it spirals out of control,” she said.
“One can only imagine the psychological trauma and pain this experience brings — not just for the abducted students but for their parents, their friends, and the entire university community.”
The growing insecurity on Nigerian campuses has turned places of learning into zones of fear. Once considered safe havens, universities are now becoming hunting grounds for kidnappers — a reality Akinbodunse described as both heartbreaking and unacceptable.
“It is miserable that campuses of tertiary institutions, which used to be the most secure, have now become fertile ground where kidnappers operate,” she lamented.
NANS has demanded the immediate and safe return of the kidnapped students, urging the Federal Government, Benue State authorities, and security agencies to treat the situation with the urgency it deserves. But their frustration with the slow pace of rescue efforts is growing.
“We commend the management of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University for swiftly suspending academic activities after the incident,” Akinbodunse acknowledged. “However, this must be just the beginning. The university must take stronger measures to strengthen campus security, especially at night, so students can focus on their studies without the constant fear of being snatched away.”
NANS is closely monitoring the situation and made it clear they will not stay silent if the crisis continues.
“As the umbrella body of Nigerian students, we will not hesitate to declare a nationwide protest if the abducted students are not rescued on time,” Akinbodunse warned.
Source: Ripples