Fresh details have emerged regarding the abduction of six senior directors of the Federal Ministry of Defence, as their captors have reportedly demanded a ransom of N150 million for their release.

The officials were kidnapped on November 10, 2025, along the Kabba-Lokoja highway in Kogi State while travelling from Lagos to Abuja to participate in a Directorate-level promotion examination.

Sources familiar with the incident described the attack as a carefully planned ambush carried out by armed men who blocked the highway.

A relative of one of the abducted directors expressed deep despair over the ransom demand.

“We are still traumatised by what happened. Now the kidnappers are asking for N150 million to release all six of them. How can we possibly raise such a huge sum? We beg them to free our loved ones unharmed; that is all we can plead for at this point,” the family member said.

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, in a statement jointly signed by its President, Shehu Mohammed, and Secretary-General, Joshua Apebo, strongly condemned the abduction and assured staff that efforts were actively ongoing to secure the victims’ release.

The union identified the kidnapped officials as Mrs Ngozi Ibeziakor, Mrs C. Emeribe, Mrs Helen Ezeakor, Mrs C. Ladoye, Mrs J. Onwuzurike, and Mrs Catherine Essien, all of whom are senior members of the association and staff of Command Day Secondary School, CDSS, Ojo, Lagos.

According to the ASCSN, the Ministry of Defence has already activated a coordinated response, engaging security agencies and other stakeholders to expedite the safe rescue of the abducted officials.