Amid growing concerns over insecurity, residents of the Abraka community and Delta State University (DELSU) students have launched daily mass protests and issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Commissioner of Police in Delta State to urgently address the worsening insecurity.
In a joint expression of anger and despair, both residents and students described the scale of violence and insecurity affecting the community.
The protests began shortly after a shocking incident on May 25, when a student of DELSU, Clinton Udomudo, and his brother were abducted. According to community sources, the two had gone to deliver ransom money to kidnappers when they were both seized—an event that has become a symbol of the deepening security crisis.
Wielding placards with bold inscriptions such as “No to kidnapping in Abraka,” “We are tired of the insecurity in Abraka,” “The police should come to our rescue,” and “Delta State government should protect citizens; it is our right,” demonstrators have been taking to the streets daily. These messages reflect growing public anger and a sense of abandonment by security agencies.
Residents lamented that the police have done practically nothing to stop the activities of the criminals terrorizing the community. Many accused law enforcement of issuing empty promises rather than delivering tangible results. “We have repeatedly cried out to authorities, but our appeals have fallen on deaf ears,” said one protester. “Our lives no longer feel safe in our own town.”
The situation escalated further on May 29, when students of DELSU issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Commissioner of Police in Delta State to urgently address the worsening insecurity. If their demands are not met, they warned, they would extend their protests beyond Abraka to the State Police Headquarters and the Government House in Asaba, the state capital.
In a strongly-worded letter signed by the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Augustine Onovughegor, and the Secretary, Bassey Etim, the students outlined their demands: Immediate deployment of additional, well-trained police and security personnel to all student-dominated areas and major access roads in Abraka; Creation of a permanent, rapid-response security task force dedicated to the protection of students and surrounding communities; Transparent and frequent updates from security agencies and government officials, detailing the measures being taken to ensure safety and a clear roadmap for ongoing protection.
The letter emphasized that failure to meet these demands within the stipulated 72-hour timeframe would trigger more decisive action. “If these measures are not implemented,” the SUG warned, “we will formally join the residents in their ongoing protests, shut down academic activities across the university, and mobilize students from all faculties and hostels for a mass demonstration in Asaba.”
The protesters stressed that their repeated cries for help have been ignored, despite ongoing petitions by community leaders and stakeholders. They argue that students, who form the backbone of Abraka’s social and economic life, are now being driven to abandon their education or consider fleeing the town entirely for their safety.
“Our university campus and town are no longer places of learning and personal growth,” read a joint statement from the protesters. “They have become breeding grounds for daily fear, trauma, and the constant threat of death or abduction.
“If decisive, visible actions are not taken to end this carnage within 72 hours, we will be compelled to mobilize and lead the largest student protest that Abraka and Delta State have ever seen. This is no longer just a call for justice—it is a demand for our right to live and learn in peace.”