The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has sent more detectives to Benue State to help in the rescue of the abducted medical students.
Recall that 20 medical students of the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos, travelling to Enugu, were kidnapped on the Otukpo/Otukpa/Enugu road on Thursday evening.
The students were travelling for the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students annual convention in Enugu when they were abducted.
Egbetokun had, on Saturday, ordered the deployment of tactical operatives and assets to ensure the prompt rescue of the kidnapped medical students.
He also directed the deployment of helicopters, drones and tactical vehicles, among others, to facilitate the rescue of the students.
In a statement on Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, disclosed that the police boss had sent more detectives to the state, calling for the support of the citizens.
He said, “The IG reiterates commitment to rescuing the kidnapped medical students in Benue unhurt. He calls for understanding and support as more trained detectives arrive in Benue.”
Adejobi commended citizens who had been giving the police vital information secretly, urging those disclosing such on social media to desist from such acts.
He said, “We commend those who share information with us confidentially, while we advise those who discuss vital information about the incident on social media to desist, as such may disrupt the ongoing operations. Kindly share information with us in confidence.”
The University of Jos Alumni Association, on Sunday, called for the release of the 12 students of the institution who were among the abducted students.
The chairman of the association in Plateau State, Gad Peter, made the call in a statement on Sunday.
Peter, who condemned the abduction, described the incident as “a danger to the search for education and knowledge in the country.”
He said, “The University of Jos Alumni, Plateau State chapter, condemns the recent abduction of some medical students of the University of Jos and the University of Maiduguri by some criminal elements in Benue State.
“This ugly incident once again points to the threat on our highways and a clear and present danger to the search for education and knowledge.
“We hereby call on the police and other security agencies to ensure a swift and safe rescue of these students and also the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of this dastardly act
“We condemn, without mincing words, this criminal act and hereby call on every citizen and community leader to expose criminal elements hiding and using their communities for criminal activities.”
Enugu students kidnap
Meanwhile, the police in Enugu State have confirmed the kidnap of three students of Enugu State College of Health Technology, Oji-River, in the Oji-River Local Government Area of the state.
In a viral video, some people, who claimed to be residents of the area, had raised the alarm that some students of the college had been kidnapped since Wednesday evening.
They accused the authorities of keeping silent over the incident.
It was gathered that some gunmen suspected to be herdsmen invaded the school complex and abducted students around 7:30 pm.
However, in a statement on Saturday night, the command’s spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the kidnapped incident, noting that two had been rescued while three others were still missing.
Ndukwe dismissed the viral video alleging that a countless number of students were kidnapped at the college as false, describing it “as an act of mischief and misinformation aimed at misleading and creating panic among unsuspecting citizens.”
The statement partly read: “Contrary to the spurious narrative in the viral video, in the evening hours of August 15, 2024, police operatives at the Oji-River division of the command received information alleging an act of abduction around the said college.
“They immediately rushed to the scene, rescuing two of the victims allegedly abducted, while three others are yet to be found. However, vigorous operations are ongoing to locate and rescue them, as well as apprehend the abductors.
“A preliminary investigation proves that the victims were driving out of the college when the seemingly targeted incident occurred.”
The command’s spokesperson noted that the Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, had ordered the operatives to ensure that the missing victims were found and rescued.
He, however, quoted the commissioner to have cautioned against mischievous and malicious social media narratives aimed at creating panic and jeopardising police operational and investigative actions over such incidents.
