THE Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the University of Ibadan (UI) has confirmed the abduction of a 300-level female law student while returning from a religious conference in Imo State.
The SUG President, Temidayo Adeboye, in a statement in Ibadan on Friday, June 19, said the victim, simply identified as Tomisin, was abducted alongside seven others, while travelling with the National General Director of the Scripture Union (SU) Student Fellowship, Uwem Cosmos, and other participants.
They were said to be on their way back to Ibadan after attending the SU national conference, held at the Camp of Faith, Okigwe in Imo State.
Adeboye stated that Tomisin serves as the National Secretary of the SU Student Fellowship and its UI chapter Vice President, adding that contrary to reports circulating on social media, only one student of the university was among those declared missing after communication with the group was lost.
“The union has initiated the necessary engagements to ascertain the facts surrounding the situation and has established contact with relevant religious organisations and security agencies to facilitate appropriate intervention.
“We wish to clarify that reports claiming that eight UI students are missing are inaccurate. Tomisin is the only University of Ibadan student currently unaccounted for in the incident,” he said.
The students’ union leader said her disappearance became apparent after she failed to sit for her faculty examinations last Monday and Tuesday, as another student from the Department of Music, who also attended the conference, had since returned safely.
Meanwhile, UI Director of Public Relations, Joke Akinpelu, confirmed that the institution was aware of the incident, but was not informed about the trip.
Akinpelu disclosed that the incident occurred on Saturday, June 13, saying Tomisin was the only UI student abducted, contrary to viral reports that eight UI students were abducted.
She restated: “The student left the university without officially notifying the institution of her destination.”
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), students and members of the SU have called for prayers and urgent efforts to secure the victims’ release.
