BREAKING: Terrorists Release Four Defence Ministry Directors After Weeks of Hostage, Two Others Feared Killed

• Four of the six kidnapped female Directors of the Ministry of Defence have regained freedom after nearly two harrowing weeks in captivity, while two others are feared dead after collapsing from exhaustion during the ordeal.

Four out of the six female Directors of the Ministry of Defence abducted in Kogi State have been released after spending close to two weeks in captivity, VerseNews has learnt. The women reportedly trekked through dense forests from Kogi to Kaduna before reaching safety.

The officials were kidnapped on their way to a promotion course and examination when armed men ambushed their vehicle along the Kabba–Lokoja highway. All six victims — Mrs. Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs. C.A. Emeribe, Mrs. C. Helen Ezeakor, Mrs. C.A. Ladoye, Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike, and Mrs. Catherine O. Essien — were senior staff members of the Command Day Secondary School (CDSS), Ojo, Lagos.

Sources disclosed that the victims endured severe physical hardship as they were forced to trek long distances inside the forest with minimal access to food, water, or rest. Two of the women, Mrs. C.A. Emeribe and Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike, reportedly did not survive the ordeal, allegedly collapsing from exhaustion. VerseNews has not independently verified this claim.

“I learned they have been released, but two of them unfortunately couldn’t make it,” a source said. “They died out of exhaustion after trekking from Kogi to Kaduna through the forest. The remaining four are currently undergoing medical examinations.”

Attempts to reach Defence Headquarters spokesperson Brigadier General Samaila were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered.

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The abduction, which occurred on Monday, November 10, 2025, had thrown the Ministry of Defence and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) into panic. The union condemned the attack, describing it as a well-coordinated ambush, and expressed concern over the growing risks faced by civil servants travelling for official assignments.

In a joint statement, ASCSN President Shehu Mohammed and Secretary-General Joshua Apebo called for urgent reforms, urging the Federal Government to decentralise promotion examinations and verification exercises to reduce the exposure of workers to insecurity and poor road conditions.

They warned that the continued disregard of these concerns could result in more tragic incidents involving public officials.