Harrowing Attack On Adventist Students In Ondo State: One Shot, Ten Kidnapped.
A group of students from the Adventist Students Fellowship, Port-Harcourt Zone, a student branch of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, faced a terrifying ordeal yesterday when they were ambushed by armed men in Ondo State. The students, who were travelling to a conference at Babcock University in Ogun State, were attacked on the Benin-Ore expressway, a route notorious for criminal activity.
According to reports, one student was shot in the back during the violent assault and is receiving urgent medical attention. Approximately ten others were abducted by the assailants, who are suspected to be herdsmen, though no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. The victims, drawn from Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, were en route to attend their annual Easter Convention when the incident occurred.
A source close to the fellowship, speaking to local media, expressed shock and grief: “These were our friends and relatives, heading to a spiritual gathering. It’s heartbreaking that what was meant to be a joyful journey turned into a nightmare.” Efforts to contact the Ondo State Police Command for an official statement have so far been unsuccessful, with calls and messages to the command’s spokesperson going unanswered.
The attack has sent shockwaves through the Seventh-Day Adventist community in Port Harcourt, with members rallying to pray for the safe return of the kidnapped students and the recovery of the injured. The Eastern Nigeria Union Conference, which oversees the Port-Harcourt West Mission, has called for calm and urged authorities to take swift action to secure the release of the abducted students.
This incident underscores the growing insecurity along Nigeria’s highways, particularly in Ondo State, where abductions and violent attacks have become alarmingly frequent. Community leaders and religious groups are now pressing for increased security measures to protect travellers and prevent further tragedies.
As the investigation unfolds, the thoughts of many remain with the affected students and their families, who are clinging to hope for a positive resolution. Authorities are under pressure to act decisively to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
