Police detectives are actively searching for the abductors of 20 university students, intensifying efforts to secure their safe release.
Additional detectives have been dispatched to Benue State by Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, in order to assist with the safe recovery of the kidnapped medical students.
Remember that on Thursday evening, a total of 20 medical students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos who were en route to Enugu via Otukpo/Otukpa/Enugu road got abducted.
While en route to attend the yearly meeting of the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students in Enugu, the group of students was taken captive.
On Saturday, Egbetokun directed the dispatch of tactical operatives and resources to swiftly retrieve the abducted medical students.
Furthermore, he oversaw the mobilization of helicopters, drones and tactical vehicles to aid in recovering the students.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, stated on Sunday that the police chief had dispatched additional detectives to the region and urged citizens to assist them.
“The IG reaffirmed his dedication to safely rescuing the abducted medical students in Benue. He requests comprehension and assistance as additional skilled investigators make their way to Benue.”
Adejobi praised the individuals who have been quietly providing crucial information to the police and discouraged those who are sharing such details on social media from continuing these actions.
“We appreciate individuals who confidentially share information with us, and discourage those who use social media to discuss important details about the incident. Posting on social media could potentially interrupt ongoing operations. We kindly request that you submit your information in confidence.”
On Sunday, the Alumni Association of the University of Jos urged for the release of twelve students from their institution who were abducted.
On Sunday, a statement was released by Gad Peter, the chairperson of the Plateau State association, urging for action.
“A danger to the search for education and knowledge in the country,” is how Peter described the incident, condemning it.
“The kidnapping of medical students from the University of Jos and University of Maiduguri in Benue State by criminals has been strongly condemned by the Plateau State chapter of The University Of Jos Alumni,” he stated.
The occurrence of this unpleasant event serves as a reminder of the perilous nature that exists on our roads, posing an imminent threat to the pursuit of education and enlightenment.
Our plea goes out to the police and other security agencies, urging them to promptly and securely rescue these students. We also implore that those behind this heinous act be arrested and brought to justice.
We outright denounce this unlawful act and urge all citizens and community leaders to reveal any criminal individuals using their communities as a hideout for illegal activities.
Students in Enugu abducted
The Enugu State police have meanwhile confirmed the abduction of three students studying at the Enugu State College of Health Technology in Oji-River, situated within the Oji-River Local Government Area.
A group of individuals, who purported to be locals in the vicinity, sounded an alarm via a widely circulated video that several students from the college had been abducted since Wednesday evening.
The authorities were accused of remaining silent about the incident.
According to reports, at approximately 7:30 pm a group of gunmen believed to be herdsmen infiltrated the school premises and kidnapped students.
On Saturday evening, the command’s representative Daniel Ndukwe declared that although two individuals were found and rescued, three others remain unaccounted for following a confirmed kidnapping.
Ndukwe refuted the validity of the viral video which claimed numerous students had been abducted from the college, branding it “a deliberate attempt to misinform and cause alarm among innocent members of society.”
The statement conveyed that on the evening of August 15, 2024, police officials at Oji-River division were informed about an alleged abduction near the college. The viral video’s inaccurate story was debunked by this clarification.
As soon as they received the alert, they hastened to take action and successfully saved two individuals who were reportedly kidnapped. Sadly, three more have not been located yet. Nevertheless, a tireless effort is being made to locate them and recover them from captivity while bringing their abductors to justice.
Based on initial investigations, it has been concluded that the individuals were leaving the campus when a seemingly intentional occurrence took place.
The representative of the command stated that Commissioner Kanayo Uzuegbu instructed operatives to locate and save the missing victims.
However, he cited the commissioner’s warning against harmful and malicious social media stories that aim to incite fear and disrupt police operations and investigations in response to such incidents.
