The 20 medical students kidnapped on August 15 in the Otukpo area of Benue State regained their freedom on Friday, FIJ can confirm.
FIJ learnt that the kidnapped students regained their freedom eight days later through the concerted efforts of security agencies, including the police, DSS and military.
One of the officers on the rescue team told FIJ on Saturday morning that “the job (rescue operation) was successful yesterday”.
However, FIJ has not yet been able to establish if this was indeed a rescue operation or the victims were ransomed.
READ MORE: Kidnappers Allow Abducted Medical Students to Raise N50m Ransom Via WhatsApp Chat
The entire country was thrown into panic last week when the students from the University of Jos and the University of Maiduguri were kidnapped on their way to the annual convention of the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) in Enugu State.
FIJ had gathered that some of the students were allowed to share their locations so they could contact families and friends for a ransom of N50 million.
READ ALSO: Colleague Describes ‘Trauma’ One Week After 20 Medical Students Abduction in Benue
The kidnappers had threatened to start killing some of the students if they didn’t get the money as of last Saturday.
Meanwhile, findings by FIJ revealed that at least six abduction incidents occurred at the same Benue location in the past eight months.
All six abductions occurred on the same day of the week — a Thursday — and on the same Enugu-Benue highway.
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