Gunmen Threaten to Kill Abducted Medical Students, Demand N50m Ransom

On Thursday night, a group of 20 medical students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos, along with a House Officer, were abducted by gunmen along the Otukpo-Enugu Highway in Benue State. The abductors are now demanding a ransom of N50 million for their release, and have threatened to start killing the hostages if their demands are not met.

The Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FCMDS) confirmed the names of the abductees on Friday night, following confirmation of the incident by the Benue State Police Command. SP Catherine Anene, the spokesperson for the command, said the students were traveling in two buses when they were intercepted by the criminals after Otukpo town and taken to an unknown location.

The situation became more alarming on Saturday when one of the abducted students, Kwaghaondo Aondona Kingsley, posted a desperate message on his X (formerly Twitter) account. In his message, Kingsley revealed that the abductees had been without food for two days and pleaded for help from the public, the government, and the families of the victims. He further disclosed that the gunmen had issued a chilling ultimatum, threatening to start killing the students if the ransom was not paid.

“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,” Kingsley tweeted.

The incident has sparked widespread concern and outrage, with calls for swift intervention from the government and security agencies to secure the immediate release of the students. Families, friends, and the academic community have been thrown into a state of distress, with the situation growing more dire as the deadline for the ransom draws closer.

As of now, there has been no official statement from the government or updates on any negotiations with the kidnappers. The Benue State Police Command has launched an investigation and is reportedly working with other security agencies to track down the abductors and rescue the victims.