Iran Press/Africa: The students, from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos, were on their way to attend an annual convention in Enugu State in southeastern Nigeria when armed bandits intercepted their vehicles and kidnapped them, according to Iran Press.
"We are devastated by this senseless act," Ijabani Bajam, a student leader from the University of Maiduguri, said in a statement that called for the safe return of the students.
The Police Public Relations Officer of Benue State Command, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the abduction and stated that an investigation had begun.
Kidnappings have become common in parts of northern Nigeria, where dozens of armed groups take advantage of limited security presence to carry out attacks in villages and along major roads. Most victims are released only after the payment of ransoms, which sometimes run into thousands of dollars. The attacks have also forced many to abandon road trips.
It was not immediately clear what group carried out the attack or where the captives were taken. The police did not provide any updates about rescue efforts.
The Friday abduction of the medical students occurred when the country was facing a high turnover rate of medical personnel. In 2023, no fewer than 1,417 members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) left the country for the United Kingdom and the United States due to poor health sector conditions, insecurity, and lack of good remuneration in the West African nation, leading to a shortage of doctors and nurses in the country's health sector.
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