JUST IN: Five abducted varsity students regain freedom

Five students of Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, who were abducted from their satellite campus in Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State on Tuesday, have regained their freedom.

Recall that the incident created panic among students of the campus, leading to a protest during which they called on the school management to relocate them to the main campus.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, while addressing the protesting students on Tuesday, announced the temporary closure of academic activities at the Emuoha campus and directed students residing there to vacate the premises for the meantime.

Confirming the development on Thursday, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said all five abducted students were rescued unhurt following an operation conducted at Rumuodogo 2 by the police tactical teams and other security agencies.

Iringe-Koko, in a statement, noted that the undergraduates — including one female — have been taken to the hospital for medical evaluation, adding that efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing kidnappers.

The statement reads, “Rivers State Police Command wishes to inform the public that on 04/12/2025 at about 0100hrs, the five abducted victims — Prince London ‘M’, Azubuike Kelechukwu ‘M’, Elizabeth Aniete ‘F’, Onyebuchi Precious ‘M’, and London Sampson ‘M’ — who were abducted by yet-to-be-identified cultists from their isolated residences, have been successfully rescued unhurt.

“The rescue operation was conducted at Rumuodogo 2 Community in Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State by the Command’s Tactical Teams, in collaboration with other sister security agencies and with the support of the community.

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“The rescued victims have been taken to the hospital for medical examination.

“Intensive efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing cultists/abductors.”