The students of Enugu State College of Health and Technology, Oji River, who were abducted on the 14th of August by armed Fulani Kidnappers, have finally regained their freedom after their families paid an undisclosed amount of ransom. The students were released on Saturday night around 8 p.m., following three harrowing days in captivity.
The victims, who are currently receiving medical care at E-Medics Hospital & Diagnostics Ltd, Oji-River, have recounted the horrifying experience they endured at the hands of their kidnappers. According to their testimonies, the ordeal began when they were abducted from within the school premises while seated in their car, preparing to leave the campus. The kidnappers, who targeted the students while they were visiting their elder sister, a new mothe, initially took all three girls but spared the newborn baby and the nursing mother, citing their inability to care for them.
One of the victims, a student at the College of Health, disclosed that their abductors were part of a larger group that had also kidnapped other individuals, including a pastor and his personal assistant. These individuals were forcibly taken from their church near the Area Command, further highlighting the widespread nature of the attack. The victim described the severe physical and psychological abuse they suffered, particularly the women among them, noting that the kidnappers subjected them to inhumane treatment. The victims confirmed that their captors were indeed Fulani, with only one member of the group able to speak rudimentary English, who occasionally acted as a translator for the others.
The victims’ release comes as a relief to their families and the broader community, but it also underscores the ongoing insecurity plaguing the region. A student leader from the College, who spoke on condition of anonymity, criticized the lack of security measures at the school, attributing the ease of the attack to the absence of a perimeter fence and inadequate security presence. He explained that the school's open environment, crisscrossed by village tracks, allows unknown individuals and villagers to pass through the campus on their way to farms and other destinations, thereby compromising the safety of students and staff.
The student leader also mentioned that, despite the institution not being in full session, some departments had chosen to remain open to conduct project defenses. However, in light of the recent events, he supported the National Association of Nigerian Students' (NANS) call for the postponement of the school’s scheduled resumption on the 23rd of September until significant security improvements are made.
The insecurity issue at the College of Health has drawn widespread condemnation. On Saturday, the Enugu State Chapter of NANS issued a press statement, signed by its Chairman, Comrade Prisca Okeke, in which they condemned the attack and demanded immediate action from the state government and security agencies. The student body called for the immediate closure of the school until the necessary security measures and infrastructural developments, such as the construction of a perimeter fence, are implemented to protect the students and staff.
Which the students recover from their traumatic experience, the incident has reignited concerns about the safety of educational institutions in rural areas, particularly those lacking basic security infrastructure. The release of the kidnapped students brings temporary relief, but it also highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to securing schools and other vulnerable communities in the region.
With the ongoing investigations and heightened calls for action, the focus now shifts to the Enugu State Government and security agencies to prevent a recurrence of such incidents and to restore confidence in the safety of the region’s educational institutions. The families of the released students, along with the broader academic community, await concrete measures to address the security challenges that have left them vulnerable to such brutal attacks.
