Twenty medical students who were kidnapped last week in central eastern Nigeria were released on Friday evening in good health, according to the Nigerian police. The police in Benue State (central east) confirmed in a statement published late Saturday to Sunday that “20 students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos who were kidnapped last week by armed men have been released,” without providing further details.
The medical students were kidnapped while heading to a medical conference on August 15 in eastern Nigeria, where kidnappings for ransom have been increasing. Nigeria is experiencing a rise in kidnappings due to the economic crisis, driving desperate Nigerians to crime to earn money. The Secretary-General of the Nigerian Medical Students Association, Fortune Ola, confirmed the students’ release to AFP, stating that they are now “safe” and that they had spoken with them over the phone.
The national police spokesperson announced on the “X” platform early Saturday that “no ransom was paid,” adding that the students were rescued in a “tactical and professional manner.” Since 2022, Nigerian law prohibits paying money to kidnappers, but many families affirm they do not trust the authorities and feel they have no choice but to pay the demanded ransom. The exact number of kidnapped individuals in Nigeria is unclear due to unreported cases. However, the Nigerian consultancy “SBM Intelligence” reported that 4,777 people were kidnapped from when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office in May 2023 until January 2024.
