PANIC IN CIVIL SERVICE AS GUNMEN ABDUCT SIX DEFENCE MINISTRY DIRECTORS ON KABA–LOKOJA HIGHWAY
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Tension has enveloped the Federal Civil Service following the abduction of six Directors of the Federal Ministry of Defence by suspected gunmen along the Kaba–Lokoja highway on Monday, November 10, 2025.
The senior officers, who were travelling from Lagos to Abuja for a Directorate-level promotion examination, were reportedly intercepted in a well-coordinated ambush, raising fresh concerns about the safety of civil servants on official assignments.
In a statement jointly signed by the President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Shehu Mohammed, and the Secretary-General, Joshua Apebo, the union condemned the abduction and assured members that efforts were ongoing to secure the victims’ release.
According to the statement, those kidnapped include Mrs. Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs. C.A. Emeribe, Mrs. C. Helen Ezeakor, Mrs. C.A. Ladoye, Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike, and Mrs. Catherine O. Essien — all staff of Command Day Secondary School (CDSS), Ojo, Lagos, under the Ministry of Defence.
The ASCSN disclosed that the Defence Ministry had mobilized its security apparatus to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted Directors, while specialized security teams have been deployed across suspected hideouts in Kogi State.
The union also criticized the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) for centralizing promotion examinations in Abuja, insisting that such practices expose workers to unnecessary risks.
“We have always advised the Commission to conduct promotion examinations within the states,” the statement read. “The current security challenges and deplorable road conditions endanger the lives of public servants.”
The ASCSN urged the federal government to decentralize all promotion and verification exercises, warning that continued disregard for safety concerns could lead to further tragedies.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has intensified efforts to locate the victims, while the ASCSN commended the authorities for their swift response and urged security agencies to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the safe return of the abducted officers.
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