Catholic seek release of 20 abducted medical students

The Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (ACMPN) has called for intensified efforts towards securing the release of 20 medical students who were kidnapped on Otukpo-Enugu Road on Aug. 16.

The association made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of its emergency Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee meeting in Awka on Tuesday.

The 20 students were on their way to the annual conference of the Catholic Medical Students’ Association in Enugu.

The Catholic medical professionals in the communique signed by its president, Prof. Hadiza Agbo, condemned the abduction, describing it as “an atrocious act and dangerous signal for the nation’s health sector.”

The association stated that the development would not only affect the mental health of the students negatively but also fuel the brain drain syndrome as young doctors would now prefer to study and work outside the country.

According to the body, the abduction can reverse efforts made towards retaining medical professionals to work in the country.

The association empathised with the students’ parents, friends, and colleagues, adding that “we understand the pains in your heart, the nightmares and sleepless nights, and we assure you that you are not alone in this.

“They are still held captives, leading to an unimaginable toll on the physical and mental health of their immediate families, colleagues, friends, teachers, and the school authority.”

The ACMPN, which commended the efforts of the Police Command in Benue, urged all relevant authorities to take urgent, proactive, and decisive action to secure the release of the students.

“We appeal to the government at all levels to ensure a safe and conducive atmosphere for learning, and we urge every concerned Nigerian to join us in praying for the safe release of these students and doctors.

“This ugly incident has the ability to demoralise their colleagues, on-coming students, and parents and have an adverse effect on the literacy rate, thus worsening health indices and efforts at improving our health sector,” it said.