On Monday, November 10 2025, six director-level officials from the Federal Ministry of Defence were abducted by suspected gunmen along the Kaba–Lokoja highway while travelling from Lagos to Abuja for a promotion examination.
The victims, identified as Ngozi Ibeziakor, C.A. Emeribe, C. Helen Ezeakor, C.A. Ladoye, J.A. Onwuzurike and Catherine O. Essien, were joined on the journey in association with the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and reportedly ambushed in what appears to have been a well-coordinated operation.
The incident has ignited serious concerns within the Federal Civil Service over the vulnerability of public servants travelling long distances for official duties. The ASCSN urged that promotion and verification exercises be decentralised to minimise risks to staff.
In response, the Ministry of Defence has mobilised security teams to comb suspected hideouts in Kogi State and other surrounding areas in an effort to secure the safe release of the abducted directors.
