The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council, Lagos, yesterday expressed concern over growing insecurity on Nigeria’s federal highways after a delegation of student leaders narrowly escaped an attempted abduction while travelling to the NANS South-West Zone D Convention at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

The association said the incident highlighted what it described as a collapse of security along major federal roads and urged the government to urgently address the situation.

Speaking through its Public Relations Officer, Ridwan Ajayi, the group disclosed that the delegation left Lagos last Friday for the zonal convention with principal officers and student leaders on an official national assignment. He explained that their journey was delayed by a mechanical fault, which kept them on the road until close to midnight on the Ilesa axis, an area he said had become notorious for kidnappings and violent attacks.

“On the night of 13th February 2026, our journey was delayed by a mechanical fault for approximately two hours. Around midnight, near the Ilesa axis, we unknowingly drove straight into a carefully coordinated ambush. Suspected kidnappers had concealed themselves in the bushes flanking the highway, lying in wait for unsuspecting travellers,” he said in a statement.

The association described the incident as a well-planned operation, alleging that armed men suddenly emerged from the darkness and boxed in the vehicle conveying the students, leaving them with little time to react.

NANS added: “Suddenly, blinding torchlights flashed directly in front of our vehicle, compelling us to slow down.

Within seconds, armed men emerged and boxed us in. In what can only be described as a split-second decision between captivity and survival, our driver acted with extraordinary courage, reversing toward the attackers and creating just enough space to escape. The kidnappers pursued briefly on foot but could not outrun a moving vehicle. We escaped by inches and by grace.”