The Bayelsa State Police Command yesterday confirmed the abduction of three female students of the state College of Health Technology, Otuogidi in Ogbia Local Government Area by unknown gunmen.

The final year students, identified as Jennifer Solomon Ebefini, Lucky-Ere Germany and Deborah Doctor of Environmental Health Department, were seized by the gunmen about 11 am on Monday and taken to an unknown destination

They were walking along the school road to their hostel when the gunmen suddenly appeared from the bush, rounded them up near the Ogbia market.

A source confirmed to The Guardian that the incident happened close to the scene where some policemen were ambushed and killed by gunmen a week to the just concluded governorship poll in the state.

“The girls were walking to their hostel from school when some men appeared from the bush and accosted them. They seized them and took them to an unknown place. They must have been armed. They took the girls across the river,” the source said.

She added that the abduction of the three students has sent panic among other students on campus, who are worried about the development, especially when the motive behind the abduction remains unknown.

“The landlady of one of the abducted students came to the campus with a pair of the girl’s sandals. She was crying and appealing to the school authority to rescue the victims,” she said.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Butswat Asinim confirmed that the students were identified as Jennifer Solomon Ebefini, Lucky-Ere Germany and Deborah Doctor.

“About 11am, three female students namely; Jennifer Solomon Ebefini ‘f’, Lucky-Ere Germany ‘f’ and Deborah Doctor ‘f’ of Environmental Health Department at the College of Health Technology, Otuogidi, were kidnapped at gunpoint by unknown gunmen.

The police were alerted and was conducted in the area, while a Horsepower Engine boat containing some foodstuffs and other items used by the kidnappers was recovered.

“The entire surrounding area was cordoned off and a Joint Patrol is ongoing to rescue the victims and arrest the kidnappers.

“The command hereby appeals to the students of the college to be calm as efforts are intensified to rescue the victims and protect the student community,” he stated.