Six Nigerian law students, including David Obiorah, who were abducted along the Wukari-Zaki-Biam expressway in Benue State while on their way to the Nigerian Law School in Yola, have regained their freedom after six harrowing days in captivity.
The students were kidnapped on Saturday, July 26, 2025, near Jootar town, in what one of the victims described as a traumatic, dehumanising experience that still leaves physical and emotional scars.
Earlier, the Benue State Police Command released a statement noting that its operatives have rescued six Nigerian Law School students abducted while travelling from Anambra State to Adamawa.
In a statement released on Friday, the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet,said the students were heading to the Yola Campus of the Nigerian Law School when they were intercepted by armed kidnappers along the Benue-Taraba boundary.
The kidnappers are said to have earlier demanded a ransom of ₦120 million, threatening to k!ll the captives if the amount was not paid.
“Please be informed that the police have successfully rescued six law students of the Yola campus, who were abducted on July 26, 2025, while travelling from Anambra State to Adamawa State. They have been safely released and reunited with their families this morning, August 1, 2025,” the command’s statement read.
Abducted Between Army and Police Checkpoints
However, while narrating their ordeal, Obiorah, a law student from Anambra State, said the attack happened around 9:00pm between military and police checkpoints.
“We were traveling from Onitsha to the Yola campus of the Nigerian Law School when the kidnappers ambushed us,” he told Daily Post.
According to him, the gunmen, ten in number, four armed with AK-47 rifles, mounted a roadblock and forced their bus off the highway before dragging them into the bush, roughly 20km from the main road.
“There were 13 people in the vehicle: six law students, two male adults, two female adults, and three underage children,” he added.
Obiorah described the living conditions in the kidnappers’ hideout as horrifying.
He said, “We ate only once a day. The water was muddy and caused reactions on my skin. We were beaten every hour to force us to call for ransom.
“They kept chanting, ‘Pay your N10 million and go.’”
He said they were initially taken to a hut in the forest, where they met four other captives who had spent over three weeks in captivity.
“The community knew what was going on,” Obiorah revealed.
“The kidnappers were cocking guns in front of toddlers. Women from the village were the ones cooking for everyone, including the abductors.”
He identified the ringleader as Matthew, whom he believes is either a dismissed or fleeing soldier.
There Were Fulani Among Them, Though They Spoke Tiv
“All of them spoke Tiv, though a few Fulani were part of the group. The Fulani members hardly spoke. It felt like the entire local community had been silenced or subdued by them,” Obiorah noted.
Release Came After Ransom Payment, No Help From Police Or Government
Obiorah said negotiations for their release involved an initial ransom demand of ₦10 million, followed by an additional ₦200,000, the gang claimed was for transportation.
“After the payment was made, we were blindfolded and dropped in the forest during heavy rain. They gave us directions to walk for hours until we found the main road. We trekked for over four hours until we finally saw a streetlight,” he recounted.
Obiorah stressed that their release had nothing to do with the efforts of security agencies.
“Our families paid the ransom. The police didn’t rescue us. We never even called them. It was the park manager who contacted the police after our release. Then the police came and started claiming credit for rescuing us. That’s false. We were not rescued, we paid and were let go,” he added.
When asked if he had any message for the federal government, Obiorah replied bluntly, “I have nothing to tell them. Let them continue to play politics with security issues.”
While grateful for his life, Obiorah said he lost vital documents and personal belongings during the ordeal.
“I try to stay strong, but I still worry about my lost valuables and documents. I don’t know how I’ll recover them, but by God’s grace, I’ll bounce back and continue with my studies,” he added.
The kidnapping incident is part of a rising wave of abductions targeting commuters and students in the North Central region.
The Wukari-Zaki-Biam route, in particular, has gained notoriety for violent ambushes, raising renewed concerns about the state of security in the region.
No security agencies, however, had yet provided a counter-official statement on the incident following Obiorah’s confession.
Read also:
Police Rescue Six Kidnapped Law School Students
‘Kidnapped, Ransom Paid, Released 6 Days After, No Police Intervention’ – Freed Law School Student
About the Author
