A 300-level female student at the University of Jos, Plateau State, identified as Helen, has been kidnapped by gunmen, The PUNCH reports.
It was learnt that the undergraduate studying Zoology was kidnapped by the gunmen, who attacked the staff quarters of the Federal College of Land Resources Technology in the state, on Tuesday night.
An eyewitness, who narrated the incident to The PUNCH in Jos on Wednesday, said the student and other members of her family, including her mother were about going to bed when the gunmen stormed their house at the staff quarters, located at Kuru community, Jos South Local Government Area around 8:30 pm.
According to the eyewitness, who did not want her name mentioned, the gunmen forcefully entered the house and beat Helen’s mother, who is an administrative staff of the college, with heavy sticks before whisking her daughter away to an unknown destination.
The eyewitness said, “We were in our house around 8:30 pm when a voice from outside asked us to open the door. Five of us were in the house including my mother and my sister (Helen).
“My mother demanded to know who was at the door but the voice insisted that we must open the door. They started shooting and before we knew it, they entered our house after using a heavy stone to forcefully open the door.
“They collected our cell phones and threatened to kill all of us if we make any move.
“They asked my mother who my sister is to her and she (mother) said she is her daughter. The gunmen then said they would go with her. They also left a message that they won’t release Helen until a ransom is paid.”
A spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Ubah Ogaba, could not be reached to speak on the matter.
However, sources at the command headquarters in Jos said police and other security agents had visited the staff quarters and had commenced an investigation into the incident.
