Police confirm abduction of 14 JAMB UTME candidates in Otukpo, Benue

Gunmen have abducted several candidates travelling for the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Benue State, with police authorities confirming the incident and launching a rescue operation.

The attack targeted a commercial bus operated by Benue Links along the Otukpo axis on Wednesday evening.

The victims were said to be en route to their examination centres when the vehicle was intercepted.

According to information gathered, the incident occurred between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. around the Benue Burnt Bricks area in Otukpo Local Government Area.

Sources disclosed that the attackers ambushed the vehicle, dispossessed passengers of their valuables, and subsequently forced them into a nearby forest.

An eyewitness, who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity, said the Benue Links bus, which was conveying about 18 passengers, ran into the kidnappers at about 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday night.

“The passengers were mainly young persons heading to Otukpo to sit for the JAMB examination scheduled for Thursday.

“Two people, the driver and one passenger, managed to escape. Incidentally, the passengers were mainly young men and women who travelled to sit for the JAMB examination scheduled for today (Thursday),” he said.

The management of Benue Links also acknowledged the development. The General Manager, Alexander Fanafa, stated that the driver involved is currently being questioned for breaching the company’s directive against late-hour travel.

He said, “As I speak with you, the driver has been arrested and is under investigation for traveling against company directive. I have warned all drivers to stop night journeys, as they would be held as first suspects if anything unfortunate happens.”

He further explained that the driver allegedly picked up passengers after official closing hours, contrary to laid-down safety rules.

Local authorities equally confirmed the attack, noting that security operatives have been deployed to track down the kidnappers and secure the release of the victims.

The Executive Chairman of Otukpo LGA, Prince Maxwell Ogiri, said the victims were mostly students heading to sit for their UTME.

“It is true, I’m just coming out from a security meeting, and security operatives have been moved into the forest to help rescue the kidnapped victims.

“The victims are mainly young boys and girls coming to Otukpo to write JAMB,” Ogiri said.

Confirming the development, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, said the command has already swung into action, with officers combing the surrounding bush in search of the abducted passengers.

“I am in Otukpo now with all my team and DPOs who are here in the bush, and I am heading the operation.

“What happened was that one Benue Links bus carrying passengers coming to Otukpo was stopped and attacked by hoodlums, and 14 passengers were kidnapped, but one was able to escape,” he said.

He added that investigations are ongoing, especially regarding the circumstances surrounding the journey, stressing that the transport company has an established policy prohibiting night travel.

“We know that Benue Links has a policy and don’t usually drive at night. So from what I got, they have already closed, but the driver, for reasons best known to him which we are still trying to find out, picked passengers along the road, and when he came here, the story you have is what we are having.

“But as we are investigating, we are on the ground to make sure that the victims are rescued,” Emenari said.