After six days in captivity, there is anger over the inability of the authorities to secure the release of the 20 medical students kidnapped in Benue, Benue State.
The second vice president of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr Ushakuma Anenga, disclosed that the abductors of the 20 medical students of the Universities of Maiduguri and Jos had opened negotiations with their families.
In a telephone conversation with our correspondent, Dr Anenga said the abductors of the undergraduates were demanding N50 million for their release.
"This is a security matter, so we cannot give the details of what we are doing, but we are working hand-in-hand with all the security agencies to ensure that they are released safely. "The kidnappers have given phones to the students to make calls and also send messages to their loved ones, so they have been calling their parents, fellow students, and friends. We hope to see them return soon," Anenga stated.
The president of the Benue Medical Students Association, Benue State University chapter, Comrade Ayator Ngufan, who decried the insecurity bedeviling the country where students are not spared, said the Catholic Medical and Dental Students Conference (FECAMDS) ended yesterday with the safe return of Benue medical students.
"Initially, the leadership of FECAMDs wanted to put off the conference because of the incident, but on another thought, they said they would use the conference to offer prayers for the safe return of their kidnapped brothers, and we are all working together to ensure their release," Ngufan said.
Comrade Ngufan, who spoke with our correspondents through a telephone conversation, called on the government to ensure that the students are released unhurt as soon as possible to enable them to go back to their studies.
She also revealed that the medical students were abducted alongside a medical doctor who was accompanying them to the conference.
"We received the news of the abduction of our Unimaid/Unijos mates with rude shock because some of our mates in the college here also went for the conference which is an annual event," Ngufan said.
She commended the second vice president of NMA, Dr. Anenga, for providing a security escort that safely returned Benue medical students who attended the conference.
LEADERSHIP recalls on Thursday, August 15, 2024, 20 medical students, comprising 12 from the University of Jos and eight from the University of Maiduguri, were en route to a conference organised by the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) in Enugu when they were kidnapped in Otukpo local government area of Benue State.
Reacting to the incident, the Deputy Registrar of Information and Publication, University of Jos, Abdullahi Abdullahi, said the authorities of the university officially reported the incident to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police when the news broke.
According to him, of the 20 students abducted, 11 were students of UNIJOS, and one had graduated and was on the one-year housemanship programme.
"We have officially informed security agencies to take prompt action. They have sworn to work with other sister security agencies in Benue State to rescue the students.
"From the available information before us, we are very optimistic that the students will be rescued unhurt and reunited with their families," Abdullahi said.
Efforts to speak with the Student Union Government President of UNIJOS, Comrade Sambo Peter, did not yield any results as he did not pick his calls up to the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Community of Tiv Students Association, University of Maiduguri chapter, has revealed that the abductors of the 20 medical and dental students in Benue State last Thursday are demanding N50 million ransom for their release.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP on Monday in Maiduguri, the assistant secretary general of the Community of Tiv Students, Oman Johnson, said two of the students are members of the association, adding that the Association is seriously worried about the students' safety.
He urged government and security agencies to expedite action to ensure that the captives regain their freedom as quickly as possible.
"We are worried about the abduction of our members who were part of the medical students abducted by the kidnappers. We learnt that the abductors are demanding N50 million ransom for their release," Johnson said.
Vice president of the association, Prince Tihi Maxwell, said they are getting assurances from security agencies on the freedom of the abductees, adding that they learned that the abductors had reduced the ransom to N20 million.
A statement issued by the Community of Tiv Students over the kidnapping, which was signed by the chief press secretary to the president of the association, Comrade Tyohom Shadrach, on behalf of the President, Chief Aondohemba Vitalis, gave the names of their two members among the eight University of Maiduguri students kidnapped as Comr. Gabriel Jita Iwev (300 level MBBS) and Comr. Dondo Fabian Ternenge (300 level BMLS).
"We call on the Community of Tiv Students Association Nationwide and the general public to show sympathy towards them as we pray for their safe release. To the families of the abducted medical students, we stand with you, especially during this difficult time," the statement read.
Similarly, the University of Maiduguri Students' Association (UMMESA), in a statement issued over the incident by its Secretary General Abbas Omotiti, said," This is to inform you of a grave and urgent situation involving eight students from the University of Maiduguri, including four of our valued UMMESA members. These students were travelling to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FCMDS) Annual Convention in Enugu State when they were allegedly abducted along the Otukpo (Benue) - Enugu Road.
" The students affected are Boniface Tizhe, a 500-level MBBS student; Thomas Yahaya, also a 500-level MBBS student; Fortune Umeh, a 500-level MBBS student; Godwin Tumba, a 500-level MBBS student; Iwev Gabriel Jita, a 300-level MBBS student, Boniface Okon, a 300-level MBBS student, Dondo Fabian, a 300-level Medical Laboratory student, and John Bitrus, a 200-level Nursing student.
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"The students left the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) on the morning of Wednesday, August 14, 2024, and travelled to the University of Jos, where they spent the night. The following morning, August 15, 2024, they continued their journey, joining ten students from the University of Jos, totalling 20 students in their group. Their last communication occurred at about 3:24 pm on August 15.
"This situation requires our immediate and collective action. I urge you to help spread this information widely as we engage the school authorities and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all necessary measures are being taken to secure the students' safe return.
"We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available. If you have any concerns or need relevant information, please get in touch with us immediately. Let us unite in strength and solidarity to address this crisis and work towards the safe return of our fellow students."
However, when contacted, the Director of Radio and Publicity at the University of Maiduguri, Prof Danjuma, said the institution was still awaiting the security agencies' report and update on the matter.
Prof Gambo said the security agencies had assured the University that there were ongoing effort to ensure that the students regain their freedom as soon as possible.
When asked if the abductors had demanded a ransom, Prof Gambo said he had no idea about any monetary demand by the kidnappers.
