20 medical students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos, alongside a House Officer, were abducted on August 15, 2024 along the Otukpo/Otukpa/Enugu Road in Benue State. They were enroute to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) annual convention in Enugu when their journey took a harrowing detour. This incident is not merely an attack on these young professionals but a direct assault on the future of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Over a week has passed since the abduction, and the families of the victims are gripped by uncertainty, fear, and anguish. The abductors have demanded an astronomical ransom of N50 million, an amount that is beyond the means of many. Each family has been asked to contribute N2.5 million, an almost impossible feat in these harsh economic times.
The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated. The safety of our students should be paramount, yet this incident highlights a severe lapse in security which should be expressly address by Nigeria’s security agencies. Despite the presence of security personnel along that known notorious route, the fact that such a large group could be abducted with impunity raises serious concerns about the efficacy of our security apparatus.
The Federal Government must lead relevant security agencies to take immediate and decisive action. This is not a time for passive statements or delayed responses. We need to see a robust and transparent rescue mission, one that demonstrates real commitment to the safety of our citizens.
Admittedly, security operatives are still combing the forest to rescue the abducted students, but many are of the opinion that When citizens took to the streets to protest for #EndBadGovernance, security agencies’ reactions should be as swift, decisive and ruthless as they were during the recent nationwide protests. In this critical moment, when the lives of twenty young medical students hang in the balance, the same level of urgency should not be conspicuously absent.
It was reported that some of the students provided their live location via their smartphones, thereby begging the question why it is taking so long for them to be rescued.
The authorities should therefore intensify efforts, provide regular updates, and demonstrate that they are fully engaged in securing the safe return of those students. The entire nation is watching and waiting for a resolution that will restore faith in our security agencies and ensure that such egregious violations of safety are not repeated.
Apart from securing their release, our security agencies should put measures in place to ensure that incident does not repeat itself, as a way not further emboldening the perpetrators. The lives of twenty young medical students are at stake, and with them, the future of our healthcare system. If we cannot protect those who are dedicating their lives to saving others, we have failed not just as a nation, but as a people.