Eight Kidnapped UTME Candidates Freed in Benue After Three Days

Eight Kidnapped UTME Candidates Freed in Benue After Three Days

Eight of the passengers rescued from last Wednesday’s Benue Links bus abduction have been identified as candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), highlighting growing security concerns around the nationwide examination.

The victims were among passengers on an 18-seater Benue Links vehicle hijacked by gunmen on April 15, 2026, while travelling to Otukpo, Benue State, to sit for their exams. The incident occurred along a known flashpoint, further underscoring the vulnerability of commuters on intercity routes.

They regained their freedom in the early hours of Sunday after spending about three days in captivity, following coordinated security efforts involving the police and other agencies.

The rescued individuals, including three female candidates, were subsequently brought to the Benue State Government House in Makurdi by the State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, alongside their parents and guardians, for official reception by Governor Hyacinth Alia.

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Sources at the Government House said the victims appeared visibly exhausted and traumatised after their ordeal, while documentation and profiling processes were ongoing ahead of their formal reception by the governor.

Security authorities disclosed that the victims were rescued through sustained pressure on the kidnappers, including intelligence-driven operations that forced the criminals to abandon them. No casualties were reported during the rescue.

The abduction had sparked widespread concern, particularly as it involved students travelling to write the 2026 UTME. Education stakeholders and parents have since raised alarm over the safety of candidates commuting long distances to examination centres.

Officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board have reiterated that candidates affected by verified emergencies, including insecurity, will be given the opportunity to reschedule their examinations in line with the board’s contingency provisions.

Meanwhile, the incident has renewed calls for tighter security across major highways and around Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres during examination periods. Stakeholders are urging closer collaboration between examination bodies, transport operators, and security agencies to safeguard candidates.

In recent months, there has been heightened concern over attacks on travellers in parts of North-Central Nigeria, with commuters increasingly vulnerable to kidnappings along key transit routes.

Authorities in Benue State have assured residents that efforts are ongoing to track down the perpetrators of the bus abduction and prevent a recurrence, as investigations continue.

Eight Kidnapped UTME Candidates Freed in Benue After Three Days