UI confirms abduction of 300-level law student returning from Imo conference
By Adejayan Gbenga
The Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the University of Ibadan (UI) has confirmed the abduction of a 300-level female law student, identified as Tomisin, while returning from a religious conference in Imo State.
SUG President, Temidayo Adeboye, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the student was kidnapped alongside seven other travellers after attending the Scripture Union National Conference held at the Camp of Faith in Okigwe, Imo State.
Adeboye clarified that contrary to reports circulating on social media, Tomisin is the only University of Ibadan student involved in the incident. He described her as the National Secretary of the Scripture Union Student Fellowship, Nigeria, and the Vice President of the fellowship’s University of Ibadan chapter.
According to him, the union has established contact with relevant religious bodies and security agencies to support ongoing efforts aimed at securing the release of the victims and ensuring their safe return to their families.
He noted that concerns over the student’s whereabouts intensified after she failed to sit for her faculty examinations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, prompting further inquiries into her situation.
The SUG president also disclosed that another University of Ibadan student from the Department of Music, who attended the same conference, returned safely and was not affected by the incident.
Reacting to the development, the university’s Director of Public Relations, Mrs. Joke Akinpelu, confirmed that the institution was aware of the abduction. She, however, stated that the student travelled without officially informing the university and dismissed claims that eight UI students were kidnapped.
Akinpelu maintained that only one student of the institution is among the victims, while students and members of the Scripture Union have appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts toward securing the release of Tomisin and the other abducted travellers.
