The National Association of Nigerian Students has charged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to rescue the abducted female students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Benue State.

The NANS National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, appealed in a statement sent to TheNigerian Online correspondent on Thursday.

TheNigerian Online reports that the female students of the engineering department were abducted on the university campus while returning from a night reading.

The varsity management has ordered the school closure.

Sources within the institution had told our correspondent that the armed abductors stormed out of a nearby bush and kidnapped the students.

While the university management confirmed that three students were kidnapped, the students claimed that four students were involved in the incident.

Reacting to the abduction, Adeyemi described it as barbaric and a dent in the security architecture of the country.

He expressed displeasure towards the audacity of the abductors to carry out the act on the university campus.

Adeyemi stated, “It is sad to hear that the students were kidnapped on the university’s campus. This shows that our campuses are no longer safe and it is a dent in the security architecture of this country. How the kidnapping occurred is barbaric.

“Higher institutions are supposed to be safe and secure for learning and the right of every student be protected.

“The leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Students is appealing to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately deploy resources to rescue the abducted students.”

He urged students of the university to remain calm while stressing that all hands were on deck to ensure that the students were safely rescued.

“I am appealing to the students to remain calm. The NANS Headquarters will liaise with necessary quarters to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students,” Adeyemi concluded.

Meanwhile, students of the university staged a protest on Wednesday to express their displeasure over the abduction.

Multiple videos and photos obtained by our correspondent showed the students marching within the school premises, carrying placards with the inscription “BringBackOurGirls”, and singing solidarity songs.

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has initiated legal action against activist Omoyele Sowore over comments he made on social media, referring to Egbetokun as an “illegal IG.”

Sowore is facing three charges related to Cybercrime under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.

According to the charges, filed in a suit marked FCH/ABJ/23/25, Egbetokun accused Sowore of intentionally and knowingly sending messages through his verified Twitter account, where he referred to the IG as “illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.”

 The police allege that these publications were false and aimed at causing a breakdown of law and order.

Count one of the charge sheet reads, “That you, Omoyele Sowore, on December 13, 2024, did intentionally send messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore,’ calling the Inspector General of Police ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun,’ knowing it to be false and intending to cause a breakdown of law and order.”

In count two, Sowore is accused of making threats intended to incite Nigerians against the Nigeria Police Force and damage the reputation or property of the IG or the force.

Count three involves a statement Sowore allegedly made on December 20, 2024, which said: “The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. Just a matter of time. #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.”

The police alleged that Sowore’s messages were aimed at causing unrest and undermining the authority of the police.

Sowore is set to appear before Justice Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja today (Wednesday).

His legal team, led by Marshall Abubakar, confirmed that the charges will be heard in court.

Deji Adeyanju, a political activist, stated that the charges represent an abuse of the legal process, promising a strong response in court.

Sowore was arrested on Monday after refusing to accept bail conditions set by the police following allegations of obstructing public officers and cyberstalking.

The charges have been brought in the context of ongoing tension between Sowore and the Nigerian authorities, particularly after a viral video he posted in December that alleged police extortion at a checkpoint in Lagos.

Sowore’s refusal to meet bail conditions, which included providing a Level 17 civil servant as a guarantor and surrendering his passport, led to his detention at the IRT detention facility in Abuja.

A former presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore, will be arraigned before Justice Abdullah Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.

Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, confirmed to our correspondent on Tuesday that the police will arraign the rights activist on Wednesday, January 29.

“The police have procured charges to arraign Omoyele Sowore before Justice Liman at the Federal High Court tomorrow,” Abubakar said.

Sowore was arrested and detained on Monday at the Intelligence Response Team detention facility in Abuja after refusing to accept the administrative bail conditions granted to him by the police.

He was invited to the Force Intelligence Headquarters in Abuja over allegations of resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful orders, cyberstalking and actions allegedly aimed at preventing arrests.

In the Charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/23/2025, dated January 28, 2025, the Inspector General of Police is listed as the complainant, while Sowore is the sole defendant.

Charges brought against Sowore read – “Count One: That you, Omoyele Sowore, on the 13th day of December 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did intentionally and knowingly send messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, where you called him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun’.

“This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence contrary to Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended (2024), and punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the same Act.

“Count Two: That you, Omoyele Sowore, intentionally and knowingly caused the transmission of messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, calling him ‘illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.

“This statement, which you knew to be false, tagged the verified Nigeria Police Force X handle @policeNG. The publication contained threats intended to incite Nigerians against the Nigeria Police Force and harm the property or reputation of the Inspector General of Police or the Nigeria Police Force. By so doing, you committed an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended (2024).”

The charge continued, “Count Three: That you, Omoyele Sowore, on December 20, 2024, intentionally and knowingly sent messages through your verified X handle account, ‘Omoyele Sowore’, and caused a publication against the Inspector General of Police, stating: ‘The illegal IG of Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, will make the next #ENDSARS inevitable! He is working tirelessly towards it. Just a matter of time. #EgbetekunMustGo #Revolution.

“This statement, which you knew to be false, was intended to cause a breakdown of law and order. By causing this message to be sent, you committed an offence.”

The charges were brought under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024