Nigeria’s House of Representatives has urged the security agencies to “swiftly” intervene and rescue the 20 abducted medical students in Benue State.
The spokesperson for the House of Representatives, Rotimi Akin, disclosed this on Saturday, stating that the Green Chambers aligned itself with the calls urging the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to mobilise necessary resources to ensure the safe return of the students.
The House reaction came a few days after media reported that medical students, comprising 12 from the University of Jos and eight from the University of Maiduguri, were kidnapped on Thursday, 15 August 2024, while travelling to a conference organised by the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students in Enugu.
In the subsequent call for rescue, the House Committee on Healthcare Services Chairman, Dennis Idahosa, has also lent his voice, stating that “No student should be fearful of going about their lawful duties in the country. We demand decisive action from our security agencies to bring these students home safely.”
“The safety of our medical students is paramount, and this incident is not just an attack on these young professionals but on the future of our healthcare system. We cannot afford to lose any more lives to the insecurity plaguing our country,” he added.
Meanwhile, since the abduction of these students, their abductors were reportedly forcing them to use a messaging app (WhatsApp) to raise N50 million for their release. This demand violates the Cybercrime Act 2015.
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