Unknown gunmen have kidnapped six students, three teachers, and a bus driver in the town of Emure in south-western Nigeria. The victims were reportedly attacked while returning from a road trip on Monday night. The Ekiti state government, in a statement posted online, confirmed the incident, and State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji expressed the authorities’ determination to rescue the children and teachers.
As of now, it remains unclear who is responsible for the kidnapping or whether any ransom demands have been made. Kidnapping for ransom has become a severe issue in Nigeria, with armed gangs targeting various groups, including road travellers, students, and residents in both rural and urban areas.
In a related development, approximately 50 civil society organisations issued a joint call on President Bola Tinubu earlier on Monday, urging him to declare a state of emergency regarding the security situation. The groups claimed that over 1,800 people had been abducted since the president assumed office in May of the previous year. The escalating incidents of kidnapping are contributing to growing concerns about security in the country.