The 20 medical students from the University of Jos and University of Maiduguri, abducted on August 15, 2024, along the Otukpo-Enugu highway in Benue State, have been released by their abductors.
According to reliable sources, the students regained freedom after families of the victims paid a total of N50 million ransom, with each family contributing N2.5 million. The ransom was delivered in Enugu State by a Reverend Father, while the students were released in a forest in Utonkon, Ado LGA of Benue State, around midnight.
The Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Catherine Anene, confirmed the release of the students, describing it as a rescue, but details of the rescue operation were not provided.
Following their release, the students trekked for several kilometers before being located and picked up by a team of security operatives, who brought them to Otukpo in the early hours of Saturday. The students and their families are reportedly heading to Abuja for medical check-ups and a press conference.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had earlier deployed a tactical squad to Benue State to rescue the students, directing the State Commissioner of Police to relocate to Otukpo LGA to oversee the rescue operation.
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