By Milcah Tanimu

A Federal High Court in Abuja has set May 13 as the date for the arraignment of four individuals allegedly involved in the abduction of University of Abuja lecturers and their children in 2021.

On November 2, 2021, gunmen stormed the Senior Staff Quarters of the University of Abuja in the Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, seizing six lecturers and their family members.

Among the abducted were Bassey Ubom, along with his children, Prof Joseph Adavani, Dr Ferguson Tobins, Mohammed Sambo, Offiong Ubom, John Obansa, and Fidelis Obansa.

The defendants to be arraigned are Adamu Abubakar, Nura Muhammed Ahmadu, Ismailia Abubakar, and Abdulrahman Ado, also known as Yellow. They face charges of terrorism brought by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The charges allege that the defendants conspired to abduct the lecturers and their families from their homes at the University of Abuja Staff Quarters, holding them captive in the forest for three days and demanding a ransom of N300 million for their release, in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013.

The arraignment, originally scheduled for an earlier date, was postponed due to the court’s vacation. However, May 13 will mark a significant step forward in the legal process as justice is sought for the victims of this heinous crime.