Twenty medical students who were kidnapped on August 15 in the Otukpo area of Benue State have been safely rescued after eight days in captivity.
According to FIJ, the students, from the University of Jos and the University of Maiduguri, were en route to the annual Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students convention in Enugu State when they were taken hostage, causing nationwide concern.
The successful rescue operation, carried out on Friday, was a joint effort involving several security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services and the military. An officer who was part of the rescue team confirmed, “The rescue operation was successful yesterday,” highlighting the coordinated efforts of the agencies involved.
During their ordeal, some of the kidnapped students managed to send out their locations to family and friends.
This was part of a ploy by the kidnappers to demand a ransom of N50 million, threatening to harm the students if their demands were not met by the previous Saturday.
The abduction, which sent shockwaves across the country, was not an isolated incident. Investigations revealed that at least six similar kidnappings have occurred in the same area of Benue State over the last eight months.
Strikingly, all these incidents happened on a Thursday along the Enugu-Benue highway.
As authorities continue their investigations, they are urging travellers to be vigilant and take extra precautions while using this route. Efforts are also underway to enhance security measures in the area to prevent further incidents.