At least nineteen people were kidnapped in Rivers and Imo states on Tuesday in two separate incidents that deepened concerns over rising insecurity across the country.

Five of the victims are students of Rivers State University who were taken from an off-campus lodge near the institution’s Emohua Satellite Campus.

The attacks unfolded on the same day the House of Representatives demanded the arrest of those responsible for the killing of five police officers in Bauchi last week.

President Bola Tinubu also met with security chiefs shortly after nominating former Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa as the new defence minister.

Students Taken From Off-Campus Residence

Witnesses reported that gunmen believed to be members of a cult group invaded the students’ residence around 2 a.m.

The attackers shot the compound’s security dog before storming the rooms and taking the students away at gunpoint.

Students living outside the campus had protested last week over repeated attacks and harassment. They asked the school to move them to the main campus in Port Harcourt.

During a briefing on Monday, Vice Chancellor Isaac Zeb-Obipi dismissed the possibility of shutting the satellite campus or relocating students.

He explained that the university had been meeting with community leaders, council officials and security agencies to address concerns.

A student who escaped the attack said he fled while shots rang out behind him. He explained that several of his colleagues could not escape.

Police Launch Search

Rivers police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the abduction and linked the attack to cult groups.

She explained that a team led by the state commissioner of police had moved to the area. She added that efforts were underway to rescue the victims.

State government officials did not respond to inquiries on Tuesday.

Gunmen Seize Passenger Bus in Imo

Hours after the Rivers incident, another group of armed men hijacked an Aba-bound commercial bus at Ngor Okpala in Imo State.

Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen emerged from nearby bushes, opened fire and took control of the fully loaded vehicle.

The sudden attack caused panic on the road. Drivers abandoned their vehicles while passengers ran into the bush or turned back. Witnesses said at least fourteen people were taken.

The area has recorded similar attacks. In May, suspected herders abducted eighteen passengers on the same stretch of road.

Several weeks later, more than twenty passengers were kidnapped there and two people were killed.

Imo police spokesperson Henry Okoye said the command had not received an official report. He noted that the commissioner of police had deployed tactical teams to conduct patrols along the Owerri–Aba Express Road.

Lawmakers Demand Action After Police Killings

In Abuja, lawmakers pushed the federal government to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killing of five police officers in Sabon Sara, Darazo–Ganjuwa constituency of Bauchi State on November 29.

The victims were identified as DSP Ahmad Muhammad, ASP Mustapha Muhammad, Inspector Amarhel Yunusa, Inspector Idris Ahmed and Corporal Isah Muazu. Two other officers were injured during the operation.

Representative Mansur Soro, who sponsored the motion, explained that intelligence linked the ambush to a group resisting the arrest of a dethroned hamlet head.

He warned that the families of the dead officers now faced economic and emotional hardship.

Soro also praised Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed for the state’s security efforts and its swift response to the attack.

Lawmakers urged federal agencies and the Police Trust Fund to provide financial support, palliatives and education assistance for the children of the victims.

The House also called on the Inspector-General of Police to speed up payment of entitlements and ensure proper medical care for the injured officers.

The Committee on National Security and Police Affairs was directed to work with relevant agencies to enforce the resolutions.