Gunmen abduct 20 medical students in Benue

Gunmen have abducted 20 medical and dental students in Benue state.

The victims, said to be students of the University of Maiduguri and University of Jos, were traveling when they were ambushed by gunmen around Otukpo area of the state on Thursday evening.

They were on their way to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) annual convention in Enugu.

Catherine Anene, the state police spokesperson, confirmed the incident to TheCable.

“The students were passing through Benue to Enugu when they were abducted. An investigation is ongoing,” she said.

There has been an uptick in kidnapping for ransom across Nigeria in recent times.

Earlier this month, Gunmen attacked the home of Zacchaeus Michael, caretaker chairman of Kabba-Bunu LGA of Kogi.

While the chairman managed to escape, the hoodlums abducted his aides.

In July, gunmen abducted Abdulgafar Alabelewe and Abdulraheem Aodu, journalists with The Nation and Blueprint newspapers respectively, in Kaduna.