Panic has swept through Nigeria's federal civil service following the shocking abduction of six senior directors from the ministry of defence by armed gunmen. The incident occurred along the notoriously dangerous Kaba-Lokoja highway in Kogi state on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Details of the Abduction
The senior civil servants were traveling from Lagos to Abuja to participate in a Directorate-level promotion examination when their convoy was intercepted by assailants. The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) confirmed the identities of the kidnapped officials as Mrs. Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs. C.A. Emeribe, Mrs. C. Helen Ezeakor, Mrs. C.A. Ladoye, Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike, and Mrs. Catherine O. Essien. All six directors are members of the ASCSN and staff of Command Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Ojo, Lagos.
In a strongly worded statement, ASCSN President Shehu Mohammed and Secretary-General Joshua Apebo condemned the kidnapping and warned that the current security situation and deplorable road conditions expose workers to grave risks during official travels.
Broader Security Crisis
This abduction comes amid escalating violence across Nigeria. In a separate incident, no fewer than three Migil youths were killed by bandits in Kogi state, despite the state government's previous threats to deal decisively with perpetrators. Security experts note an increasing inability of security agencies to mount adequate responses to the worsening insecurity.
Nigeria, despite having one of the strongest military forces in West Africa, continues to struggle with multiple security challenges. The country faces farmer-herder clashes in the north-central region, rampant banditry in the northwest, and a prolonged insurgency in the northeast that began in 2009.
Pattern of Targeted Kidnappings
The targeting of vulnerable populations has become widespread across Nigeria, with kidnappings occurring for ransom or to pressure the government into meeting aggressors' demands. Just recently, gunmen abducted Mrs. Blessing Adagba, an aide to Ebonyi state Governor Francis Nwifuru, highlighting that the security crisis spares neither government officials nor ordinary citizens.
Many Nigerians are questioning why Africa's largest economy cannot contain the spiraling insecurity, especially given its substantial military capabilities. The repeated incidents of mass kidnappings and the failure to protect major highways have raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of current security strategies.
