The Joint Campus Council of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Lagos has expressed deep concern over escalating insecurity on Nigeria’s federal highways, following a near-abduction of a group of student leaders en route to the NANS South-West Zone D Convention at Ekiti State University.
In a statement released on Tuesday, NANS JCC Lagos’ Public Relations Officer, Ridwan Ajayi, said the incident highlights a total breakdown of security on Nigeria’s major federal highways.
The statement noted that the delegation left Lagos last Friday for the zonal convention, comprising principal officers and dedicated student leaders on official national duties.
However, their journey was delayed by a mechanical issue, leaving them near the Ilesa axis close to midnight—a section of highway increasingly known for kidnappings and violent incidents.
“On the night of 13th February 2026, our journey was delayed by a mechanical fault for approximately two hours.
“Around midnight, near the Ilesa axis, we unknowingly drove straight into a carefully coordinated ambush. Suspected kidnappers had concealed themselves in the bushes flanking the highway, lying in wait for unsuspecting travellers,” the statement said.
NANS characterized the attack as a carefully orchestrated ambush, with armed assailants emerging from the darkness to corner the students’ vehicle, giving them only seconds to respond.
“Suddenly, blinding torchlights flashed directly in front of our vehicle, compelling us to slow down. Within seconds, armed men emerged and boxed us in.
“In what can only be described as a split-second decision between captivity and survival, our driver acted with extraordinary courage, reversing toward the attackers and creating just enough space to escape.
“The kidnappers pursued briefly on foot but could not outrun a moving vehicle. We escaped by inches and by grace,” the statement noted.
The students reported that even after they managed to escape, the attackers continued to dominate the highway, abducting other travelers before finally withdrawing.
Alarmingly, there were no security personnel present along the highway during the entire incident.
“What makes this incident even more disturbing is that the criminal operation continued for over two hours without any intervention from security agencies.
“At approximately 4:00 a.m., we witnessed the aftermath of another attack: an empty bus was seen in the bush, and it was evident that the driver may have attempted a similar escape but unfortunately lost control, resulting in the likely abduction of its occupants,” the spokesperson said.
NANS stated that the Ilesa road attack reflects a broader, nationwide trend of unchecked highway crime, where citizens frequently face kidnappings, armed robberies, and violent assaults.
The students highlighted recent incidents on federal highways in Kogi and Kwara states, where senior government officials and other passengers were kidnapped.
“This is not merely an unfortunate incident. It is a glaring and unacceptable collapse of intelligence gathering, highway patrol, surveillance coordination, and rapid response mechanisms.
“The Inspector General of Police has failed spectacularly. Armed criminals can dominate a federal highway for hours without resistance, signalling systemic insecurity,” the statement said.
NANS JCC Lagos held police authorities responsible for failing to protect travelers and called for urgent actions to restore security on federal highways.
“We refuse to normalise this level of insecurity. Nigerian students cannot continue to travel in fear while those constitutionally empowered to protect lives are conspicuously absent.
“If urgent, decisive action is not taken to secure known flashpoints such as the Ilesa axis and other major highways, students across all campuses will be compelled to mobilise democratically and constitutionally to demand accountability,” the statement concluded.
