Gunmen kidnap 20 medical students in Nigeria

Abuja, Aug 17 : A search operation has been launched for at least 20 medical students who were allegedly kidnapped during a road trip in Nigeria.

The students from the University of Jos, based in the middle-belt region of Nigeria, were kidnapped Thursday evening in Otukpo, a town in the north-central state of Benue, Catherine Sewuese Anene, a spokeswoman for the police, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.

Anene said the abductees, who were on a mission to attend the annual convention of the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students in the southern state of Enugu, were ambushed and taken hostage midway on the voyage by suspected gunmen.

An investigation into the incident has been launched, she said, adding that security agencies have been alerted to fish out the gunmen and rescue the students.