Six Directors of the Federal Ministry of Defence were abducted by gunmen on the Kaba–Lokoja highway on Monday, November 10, 2025, sending shockwaves through the Federal Civil Service.
The senior officers, who were travelling from Lagos to Abuja to sit a promotion examination, were intercepted in what sources described as a well-coordinated ambush.
The kidnapping has plunged the Defence Ministry and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) into anxiety, fueling renewed concerns about the safety of public servants on official travel.
ASCSN President Shehu Mohammed and Secretary-General Joshua Apebo have condemned the attack and assured their members that efforts are ongoing to secure the victims’ safe return.
The abductees are Ngozi Ibeziakor, C.A. Emeribe, C. Helen Ezeakor, C.A. Ladoye, J.A. Onwuzurike, and Catherine O. Essien.
“The Directors, who are members of our Union and staff of Command Day Secondary School (CDSS), Ojo, Lagos, were travelling from Lagos to Abuja when they were kidnapped, ”Mohammed said.
According to him, the Defence Ministry had already mobilised its security operatives, who were taking urgent steps to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted directors.
“We have always advised the Federal Civil Service Commission to conduct promotion examinations in the states instead of compelling public service employees to travel long distances to Abuja.
“The current security situation and deplorable road conditions expose workers to grave risks,” he added.
The union urged the government to decentralise all promotion and verification exercises henceforth, warning that continued disregard for safety concerns could lead to further tragedies.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Defence has reportedly intensified efforts to locate the victims, deploying specialised security teams in combing suspected hideouts around Kogi State.
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