Gunmen have abducted six Directors of the Federal Ministry of Defence while they were travelling to Abuja for an official assignment.
The incident occurred along the Kabba–Lokoja highway on Monday, in what witnesses described as a coordinated ambush. The victims, identified as Mrs. Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs. C.A. Emeribe, Mrs. Helen Ezeakor, Mrs. C.A. Ladoye, Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike, and Mrs. Catherine O. Essien, were en route from Lagos to Abuja for a Directorate-level promotion examination when they were intercepted.
The abduction has caused widespread panic within the Defence Ministry and among members of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN).
In a statement, ASCSN President Shehu Mohammed and Secretary-General Joshua Apebo condemned the incident and said efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims. They also urged the Federal Government to decentralize promotion examinations to reduce the risks faced by civil servants travelling long distances for official duties.
The union stated that the Defence Ministry had already deployed its security units to ensure the safe release of the abducted officials.
It also called on the authorities to prioritize road safety and strengthen security along major highways to prevent further attacks on government employees and travellers.
