A group of gunmen has kidnapped 20 medical students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos, along with a House Officer, and is demanding a ransom of N50 million for their release. The students were abducted on Thursday night while traveling along the Otukpo-Enugu Highway in Benue State.
The Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FCMDS) confirmed the incident, and the Benue State Police Command has verified the details. According to SP Catherine Anene, the students were traveling in two buses when they were intercepted by criminals after passing Otukpo town and were taken to an unknown location.
On Saturday, one of the kidnapped students, Kwaghaondo Aondona Kingsley, sent out a distress message on his X (formerly Twitter) account, revealing that the group had been without food for two days. Kingsley pleaded for government intervention and the assistance of the victims’ families, stating that the kidnappers were demanding N50 million for the release of all 20 students.
In his message, Kingsley wrote, “We were kidnapped on our way to Enugu for a convention. They are requesting N50 million for the 20 of us medical students. Please help us; we haven’t eaten for two days. Contact Pius at 08163420157 — he is coordinating the funds. They said they would start killing us tomorrow.”
This situation has sparked widespread concern, with calls for immediate action to secure the safe release of the students.
