Gunmen have abducted nine university students in Kogi State, central Nigeria.
Reports indicate that the gunmen stormed the Confluence University of Science and Technology late on Thursday night.
They entered classrooms where students were preparing for exams and began shooting sporadically into the air before rounding up a group of students and taking them away.
While the Kogi state government confirmed nine abductees, there are concerns that the actual number could be higher.
The government has mobilized security forces for a search and rescue mission.
According to a statement, “Hundreds of local hunters, along with conventional security agents, are combing the area to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students who were taken from the classrooms.”
Kidnappings have become more frequent in Nigeria, with hundreds of people, including children, being abducted in recent months.
Some families have reported paying ransoms amounting to thousands of dollars to secure the release of their loved ones.
