Students heading to exams kidnapped by armed group in Nigeria

A tragic incident has occurred in Nigeria. Zamin.uz reports on this.

In Benue State of this African country, which is considered complex from a security perspective, school students were kidnapped by an armed group. It was reported that the incident took place on April 16 of this year.

According to reports, high school students were attacked while on their way to take entrance exams for higher education institutions. The criminals had been lying in wait near the highway connecting the cities of Makurdi and Otukpo.

According to official sources, a total of 18 students were taken to an unknown location. Statistical data also confirms the deterioration of the country's security situation.

Since the beginning of 2025, cases of violence in northern Nigeria have increased significantly, by 71 percent. Experts emphasize that this negative trend is caused by the activation of armed groups, the economic crisis, and high levels of unemployment among the population.

The most distressing part is that innocent citizens and young people are often chosen as the primary targets of such crimes. The criminals seek financial gain by taking students hostage and demanding large sums of money or property from their family members.

Currently, extensive measures are being taken by law enforcement agencies to find and rescue the kidnapped youths. This incident demonstrates a serious threat not only to Nigeria's internal security but also to the stability of the entire region.