Olusegun Ariyo
The Nigeria Police have deployed helicopters in an effort to rescue medical students from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos who were abducted by kidnappers along the Otukpo-Enugu Highway about a week ago.
Several days after the 20 medical students and one house officer were kidnapped, authorities are fully engaged in locating them.
A police helicopter was sighted in Otukpo and Makurdi on Friday, signaling intensified efforts by the Police Tactical Team from Force Headquarters to rescue the victims, though no breakthrough has been reported yet.
The spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, told newsmen on Friday in Makurdi that there is no update yet, adding that the police team is still working on the case.
She noted that the tactical squad, deployed to the state by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, in collaboration with other officers on the ground, has intensified and doubled their efforts to rescue all the students held captive.
Since Tuesday this week, surveillance helicopters have dominated the airspace over the Otukpo axis and neighboring local government areas such as Ado, Ohimini, Apa, Oju, and Ogbadibo. The helicopters have been seen hovering and thoroughly combing every nook and cranny of the forests.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of Benue State, CP Yabanet, has relocated to Benue South with his team from Makurdi to ensure the safe rescue of the students.
Last Saturday, the armed bandits demanded a N50 million ransom for the release of the 20 medical students, a development that the police have denied knowledge of.
