Tension gripped the Federal Civil Service on Monday, November 10, following the abduction of six female Directors from the Federal Ministry of Defence along the Kaba–Lokoja Expressway.

The victims were reportedly traveling from Lagos to Abuja to attend a Directorate-level promotion examination when gunmen ambushed their convoy in what witnesses described as a well-planned attack.

The incident has sparked alarm within the Defence Ministry and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), raising serious concerns about the safety of civil servants who must travel long distances for official duties.

In a statement, ASCSN President Shehu Mohammed and Secretary-General Joshua Apebo condemned the abduction and confirmed that every necessary step is being taken to secure the safe release of the Directors.

The kidnapped officials have been identified as:

Mrs. Ngozi Ibeziakor

Mrs. C.A. Emeribe

Mrs. C. Helen Ezeakor

Mrs. C.A. Ladoye

Mrs. J.A. Onwuzurike

Mrs. Catherine O. Essien

The union noted that the officers are also members of the Command Day Secondary School (CDSS), Ojo, Lagos. They criticized the practice of compelling civil servants to travel long distances for promotion examinations, pointing out that it exposes workers to serious security risks and dangerous road conditions.

In response, the Ministry of Defence has launched a massive search operation, deploying specialized security personnel to comb suspected hideouts in Kogi State and surrounding areas.

The ASCSN urged authorities to decentralize promotion and verification exercises to prevent similar incidents in the future, while commending the Defence Ministry for its swift action and calling on all security agencies to leave no stone unturned in securing the safe return of the kidnapped Directors.

The nation now watches anxiously as security agencies intensify efforts to bring the officials back unharmed.