In Benue State, a house officer and over 20 medical and dental students have been abducted by gunmen.
Around 5:30 pm, the students were ambushed in the Otukpo area while travelling to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) annual convention in Enugu.
The victims are allegedly from the University of Maiduguri and Jos.
SP Catherine Anene, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, confirmed the kidnapping and said that an investigation is in progress.
“Yes, the report of the kidnapping is true. It was received between 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm, and an investigation is ongoing,” she said.
It was reported from Friday that as of right now, no formal ransom demand or terms for their release have been made.
In Benue and other parts of Nigeria, kidnapping has become increasingly rampant. The state has regularly seen kidnappings that have left communities feeling insecure and afraid.
Two female students were abducted by gunmen in May from the Joseph Sarwuan University of Agriculture in Makurdi, Benue State.
Three staff members, including Dr. Emmanuel Barki, the acting rector of Benue State Polytechnic in Ugbokolo, were kidnapped in July by gunmen who demanded a ransom of N70 million.
In the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, ten people were reportedly abducted in March at the Taraba/Benue border community in Jootar.
This alarming trend is a part of a nationwide upsurge in kidnapping incidents where criminal groups target individuals and groups, frequently demanding large ransoms.
The surge in these kinds of activities highlights the critical need for tighter security measures to safeguard the public and deal with the underlying issues causing this wave of criminal activity.
