Benue Kidnapping: JAMB Insists Victims Are Not UTME Candidates

Benue Kidnapping: JAMB Insists Victims Are Not UTME Candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has dismissed reports linking victims of a recent kidnapping incident in Benue State to the ongoing 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), insisting that none of the abducted persons were examination candidates.

In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the Board said its findings confirmed that the victims were participants in a police recruitment exercise who had travelled to Makurdi and were returning to Otukpo when they were attacked along the highway.

JAMB stressed that the claims circulating in public space suggesting that the victims were UTME candidates were false and not supported by its official records or verification process.

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The Board further explained that UTME candidates are usually assigned to designated examination centres within their locations and do not travel in groups across long distances during the examination period, making the reported scenario inconsistent with standard UTME arrangements.

The clarification follows a kidnapping incident along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State, where passengers in a commercial vehicle were abducted by armed men before being rescued after several days of search-and-rescue operations by security agencies.

Initial reports had suggested that some of the victims were writing the UTME, sparking confusion and reactions from stakeholders, including state authorities and the public.

Security agencies are continuing investigations into the attack, with efforts focused on identifying the perpetrators and dismantling kidnapping networks operating along major routes in Benue State.

Authorities have also intensified security operations in the area amid rising concerns over repeated cases of abduction targeting commuters and travellers.

Benue Kidnapping: JAMB Insists Victims Are Not UTME Candidates