UTME Candidates Recount Torture, Hunger After Four-Day Benue Kidnapping Ordeal

Rescued victims of a recent kidnapping in Benue State, including some 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates, have recounted how they endured torture, hunger, and inhumane treatment during four days in captivity before their eventual rescue.

The victims were abducted on Wednesday along the Taraku–Otukpo road in Otukpo Local Government Area when gunmen attacked a Benue Links commercial vehicle conveying passengers. They were later rescued on Sunday morning by security operatives after coordinated operations involving the military and local community efforts.

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, who received the victims at the Government House in Makurdi, confirmed that eight of the rescued persons were UTME candidates, while others were regular commuters caught in the attack.

The governor commended the security agencies for the successful rescue operation and assured that efforts were ongoing to track down the perpetrators.

One of the victims, 18-year-old Gbenda Daniels, said the abductors seized his ₦8,000 and subjected the victims to repeated beatings while denying them proper food.

“They collected my ₦8,000. They beat us, and we didn’t eat anything; we only drank dirty water,” he said.

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Another UTME candidate, Ngukulan Iornav, also 18, said the captives were fed only small portions of garri mixed with salt and were repeatedly assaulted during their time in the forest.

“We were given garri and salt. I was thoroughly beaten,” she said.

A medical student, Orih Raphael Sylvester, who had just completed his final examinations at the University of Maiduguri before the incident, said the kidnappers moved them from one forest location to another to avoid detection by security forces.

He explained that the attack occurred after their vehicle experienced mechanical problems, delaying their journey.

According to him, the victims spent the first night without food, survived the second day on dirty water, and were later forced to contact their families under severe beatings as ransom demands increased.

“We were taken into the bush and moved from one place to another. On the second day, we survived on muddy water. On the third day, they gave us garri and forced us to call our families while beating us,” he said.

He added that on the fourth day, pressure intensified as the abductors demanded ransom payments while security forces closed in on their location.

Another victim, Sunday Augustine, a 100-level Accounting student at the Federal University of Lafia, said he sustained injuries during the attack, including wounds to his elbow, while Akor Jessica described the experience as deeply traumatic, saying they were beaten with sticks and machetes at will.

A relative of some of the victims, Ochadgwuba Alexander, said the kidnappers initially demanded ₦10 million per victim before negotiations began.

He disclosed that he eventually delivered ₦3.4 million in cash along with food items, including drinks and yoghurt, into the forest as ransom.

Alexander added that he later coordinated with security operatives to ensure the safe evacuation of the victims after they were released.

Security agencies have since intensified operations in the area, with efforts ongoing to arrest the suspects behind the attack and dismantle the kidnapping network operating along the Taraku–Otukpo corridor, a route known for recurring security challenges.

UTME Candidates Recount Torture, Hunger After Four-Day Benue Kidnapping Ordeal

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

Ex–Fire Captain Jailed for Life for Killing Fiancée, Her Son Over Movie Argument

A former California fire captain, Darin McFarlin, 47, has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of murdering his fiancée and her 7-year-old son following a domestic dispute that began over a disagreement while watching a movie.

According to the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, the incident occurred on 21 August 2025 inside McFarlin’s home, where he was watching a film with his fiancée, 29-year-old Marissa Divodi-Lessa Herzog, and her two children.

The movie, later identified as the 2008 Christian drama Fireproof, reportedly triggered an argument after McFarlin became upset over its portrayal of a firefighter character. The disagreement escalated into a violent confrontation inside the home.

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Prosecutors said the situation deteriorated into a domestic violence incident in which McFarlin attacked Divodi-Lessa. Although she attempted to escape and seek help, the situation turned fatal when he used a firearm during the confrontation.

At the time of the incident, Divodi-Lessa’s two children, aged 7 and 9, were present in the home. The court heard that the 7-year-old boy was also killed during the attack, while the 9-year-old girl narrowly escaped and survived after fleeing to safety.

Authorities later arrested McFarlin within hours of the incident, while the surviving child was found safe.

During sentencing on 13 April 2026, the court handed McFarlin two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, along with an additional life term and further penalties amounting to 50 years to life and 15 years.

The judge described the case as a devastating example of domestic violence that escalated into irreversible tragedy, stressing the need for accountability in violent household disputes.

Prosecutors noted that the case underscored the dangers of unresolved domestic conflict and the importance of early intervention in situations involving emotional and physical abuse.

Ex–Fire Captain Jailed for Life for Killing Fiancée, Her Son Over Movie Argument