Night terror in Benue: 14 JAMB candidates kidnapped en route to exam

Gunmen have abducted 14 passengers, most of them candidates preparing for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, in a suspected ambush along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State.

The victims were travelling in a commercial bus on Wednesday evening when the attackers struck between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., cutting short their journey to Otukpo where they were scheduled to sit for their exams the following day.

Sources said the bus, conveying about 16 passengers-mainly young men and women-was intercepted by armed men, who whisked away the occupants. Only the driver and one passenger reportedly escaped.

Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the incident, describing it as a tragic disruption for young candidates seeking to write their examinations.

“These are young people heading to Otukpo to sit for JAMB. Security agencies have been mobilised, and efforts are ongoing to rescue them,” he said.

Attempts to get a response from Benue Links, the state-owned transport company operating the bus, proved abortive, as officials could not be reached at the time of filing this report.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Udeme Edet, initially said she had not been briefed on the development but promised to verify the situation.

However, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, CP Ifeanyi Enemari, later confirmed the abduction, disclosing that he was personally coordinating a rescue operation in Otukpo.

“I am currently in Otukpo. My team, including all Divisional Police Officers, are combing the bush, and I am leading the operation,” he said.

Enemari explained that the bus was attacked after being stopped by armed men, resulting in the abduction of most of the passengers.

He also indicated that the vehicle might have been operating outside approved hours, noting that Benue Links does not typically run night services.

“From preliminary findings, official operations had closed, but the driver picked up passengers along the road. It was during this trip that the attack occurred,” he added.

The police boss assured that all necessary measures were being taken to ensure the safe rescue of the victims.