Gunmen kidnap JAMB candidates, other travelers on Benue highway

Fear and panic have gripped residents of Benue State following the abduction of several passengers, including candidates sitting for the ongoing Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, along the busy Makurdi–Otukpo road.

The disturbing incident occurred on Wednesday night when a commercial bus operated by Benue Links was ambushed by suspected bandits. The vehicle was reportedly conveying passengers from Makurdi to Otukpo when it was intercepted by the armed attackers.

According to a source familiar with the incident, the attack happened at about 8:00 p.m. near Otukpo. The bus was said to be carrying approximately 18 passengers at the time of the нападение. Eyewitness accounts indicate that the gunmen forcefully stopped the vehicle and marched the majority of the occupants into a nearby bush.

The passengers were mainly young people heading to Otukpo to sit for the JAMB examination scheduled for Thursday. Two people, including the driver and one passenger, reportedly escaped.

The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed that 14 passengers were abducted while one escaped, adding that he was in Otukpo coordinating rescue operations.

He said investigations had begun into the circumstances surrounding the journey, noting that authorities were already in the bush searching for the victims.

The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, also confirmed the incident, saying security operatives had been deployed to the area for rescue efforts.

Passengers along the Makurdi–Otukpo road have continued to face repeated attacks in recent months, raising fresh concerns over insecurity on the route.