Final Year Student Abducted By Gunmen While Returning To University After ASUU Strike (Photo)

Kidnappers have abducted a final year student of the Geography Department at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto State.

Suleiman Abdullahi was kidnapped along Shinkafi-Sokoto road in Sokoto State while returning to school on Monday eight months after Nigerian universities were shut down due to industrial action embarked upon by the lecturers.

A source close to the family said his relations had been trying to negotiate with his kidnappers to secure his release.

In a related development, SaharaReporters also reported that suspected herdsmen who kidnapped passengers including students of the University of Nigeria travelling to Nsukka along the Ugwuogo-Nike/Opi/Nsukka Road on Sunday demanded a ransom of N300 million.

A relation of one of the victims told SaharaReporters last Wednesday evening that the abductors contacted his family and demanded they collectively raise N300 million to secure the release of the abductees.

According to him, the kidnappers were seven in number and allegedly Fulani.

He said the abductors rejected the N500,000 offered as a ransom to secure the release of the students. They instead asked them to start preparing for their burial if “we’ll even see their bodies to bury.”

It is unclear how many people were kidnapped but sources said they were more than 10.

“They are now threatening that they will kill all of them if the money is not complete.”

SaharaReporters learnt that some passengers were killed a few metres from the military checkpoint along Ugwuogo-Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road on Sunday.

The passengers were reportedly travelling in five vehicles when they were attacked by the gang. Some narrowly escaped.

Many of the passengers were students of the University of Nigeria, who were returning to school following the suspension of eight months of industrial action by lecturers and the subsequent resumption of academic activities.