The twenty (20) medical students kidnapped in Benue State on Friday, August 16, have been rescued by security agencies, including police, DSS, and military personnels. The operation was coordinated by the office of the National Security Adviser and supported by the Benue State government.
The students were on their way to Enugu State when they encountered bandits around Otukpo. They were traveling in a convoy of two buses from northern Nigeria.
The captors demanded a ransom of ₦50 million to secure the release of their hostages. The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, immediately ordered the rescue of the victims, condemning the abduction as “truly appalling, callous, and unacceptable.” The Nigeria Police Force then deployed additional tactical units, advanced helicopters, drones, and specialized vehicles to facilitate the search and secure the safe return of the victims.
Mr. Egbetokun said, “The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in its mission to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians, and it will continue to work tirelessly to maintain peace, stability, and the rule of law throughout the country.”
In the past six years, the federal highway from Otukpo through Ugbokolo in the Okpokwu Local Government Area down to Odoba and Otukpa in Ogbadibu Local Government Area has become one of Nigeria’s dangerous roads due to the notorious kidnap syndicate controlling the thick forests and vast ungoverned spaces there.
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