Nigerian Medical Students Rescued from Kidnappers, Authorities Face Criticism

In a recent breakthrough, Nigerian authorities rescued 20 medical students and seven others from kidnappers in central Benue State. The students, from the Universities of Jos and Maiduguri, were abducted on August 15 while traveling to a convention in southeastern Enugu State. The rescue comes as a relief to the students and their families, but the Nigerian Medical Students’ Association is calling for increased security measures to prevent similar attacks.

According to Nigerian police, the students were rescued unharmed on August 23, with no ransom paid. The authorities credited the success to the activation of security network agencies, community engagement, and the deployment of highly skilled and tactical officers. The rescued students have since been turned over to school authorities.

However, the association’s spokesperson, Fortune Olaye, expressed concerns about the frequency of kidnappings in the country, particularly in the health profession. “Especially in this health profession, it’s too much,” Olaye said. “They can kidnap a doctor for the doctor to treat a relative of theirs.”

Security analysts attribute the trend of kidnappings to weak governance and tough economic times. Chidi Omeje, an Abuja-based security analyst, believes that bad governance, ineptitude, corruption, and despotism are the primary causes of insecurity in the country. “It is this desperate condition of the people that has thrown up this incredibly unacceptable levels of insecurity. People no longer have the restraint. They can go all out to do anything, and of course kidnapping has become a very attractive industry,” Omeje said.

Nigeria is also grappling with an Islamic insurgency in the northeast and separatist violence in the southeast. On Sunday, two operatives were killed and three others left unconscious after police clashed with members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, or IMN, in the capital.

The country’s authorities are struggling to stem the tide of kidnappings, with thousands of Nigerians abducted each year. Many cases go unreported, making it difficult to track the true extent of the problem. The rescue of the medical students is a welcome development, but it highlights the need for more effective measures to prevent and combat kidnappings in Nigeria.