Gunmen abduct 14 JAMB candidates, others in Benue

Gunmen have abducted no fewer than 14 passengers, most of them candidates of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State.

The victims were travelling in a commercial bus from Makurdi, the Benue State capital, to Otukpo when they were ambushed by armed men between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

The passengers were reportedly on their way to sit for their JAMB examinations scheduled for Thursday.

Sources said the bus, owned by Benue Links, was conveying about 16 passengers, mainly young men and women believed to be prospective tertiary institution candidates, when the attackers struck.

According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen intercepted the vehicle along the route, forcing it to a halt before whisking away most of the occupants into the bush. Only the driver and one passenger were said to have escaped from the scene.

Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the incident to journalists in Makurdi, describing the development as disturbing and unfortunate.

“The victims are young people coming to Otukpo to write JAMB. Security agents have been deployed and efforts are ongoing to rescue them,” Ogiri said.

Efforts to reach officials of Benue Links for comments proved abortive as neither the spokesperson nor the General Manager responded to calls and messages as of the time of filing this report.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Udeme Edet, initially said she had yet to receive an official briefing on the incident.

“I’m just hearing it from you now. I’m going to confirm and get back to you,” she said.

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

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“I’m in Otukpo now. My team and all Divisional Police Officers are in the bush, and I am heading the operation,” Enemari stated.

He explained that the bus was intercepted by armed hoodlums, resulting in the abduction of 14 passengers, while one person managed to escape.

“What happened was that a Benue Links bus carrying passengers to Otukpo was stopped and attacked by hoodlums. Fourteen passengers were kidnapped, but one managed to escape,” he said.

The police commissioner also indicated that preliminary findings suggest the bus may have been operating outside its approved hours.

“Benue Links, as a policy, does not usually operate at night. From what we gathered, official operations had closed, but the driver, for reasons we are still investigating, picked up passengers along the road. When he got here, the incident occurred,” Enemari added.

He assured that security operatives have intensified efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted candidates.

“We are on the ground to make sure the victims are rescued,” he said.