Gunmen Kidnap 14 JAMB Candidates in Benue Highway Attack

Gunmen Kidnap 14 JAMB Candidates in Benue Highway Attack

Suspected gunmen have abducted at least 14 passengers, including candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, following an attack on a commercial bus along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State.

The victims were reportedly travelling in a Benue Links vehicle from Makurdi to Otukpo on Wednesday night when the bus was ambushed around 8 p.m. near Otukpo by armed attackers, who forced most of the occupants into a nearby forest.

Sources familiar with the incident said the bus was carrying about 18 passengers, largely young students heading to Otukpo to sit for the ongoing 2026 UTME examinations scheduled for Thursday.

According to one source, the attackers intercepted the vehicle and marched several passengers into the bush, while two individuals—the driver and one passenger—managed to escape.

Confirming the incident, Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, said 14 passengers were abducted, noting that one victim escaped during the attack.

The police commissioner disclosed that he is personally leading a coordinated rescue operation in the area, with Divisional Police Officers and tactical teams deployed into nearby forests to track the kidnappers and secure the victims’ release.

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“I am in Otukpo with my team, and we are already in the bush coordinating operations to rescue the victims,” he said.

Emenari also revealed that investigations have commenced into the circumstances surrounding the journey, particularly as Benue Links reportedly has a standing policy against night travel. Preliminary findings suggest the driver may have picked up passengers outside official operating hours.

Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attack, stating that security agencies had been mobilised following an emergency security meeting.

“It is true. Security operatives have been deployed into the forest to help rescue the kidnapped victims. The victims are mainly young boys and girls coming to write JAMB,” he said.

The incident has heightened concerns over the safety of candidates travelling for national examinations, especially amid rising insecurity on key highways.

The Makurdi–Otukpo road has witnessed repeated attacks in recent months, with commuters frequently targeted by kidnappers, underscoring broader security challenges in parts of Benue State and Nigeria at large.

Authorities say efforts are ongoing to rescue the abducted passengers and bring the perpetrators to justice, while stakeholders continue to call for improved security measures to protect students and travellers during critical national examinations.

Gunmen Kidnap 14 JAMB Candidates in Benue Highway Attack