Gunmen have abducted no fewer than 14 passengers, including candidates of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State.
The victims were reportedly travelling in a Benue Links bus from Makurdi to Otukpo when the vehicle was attacked on Wednesday night.
According to sources, the bus, carrying about 18 passengers, was intercepted near Otukpo around 8 p.m. by suspected bandits who forcefully marched most of the occupants into the bush.
The passengers were said to be mostly young men and women heading to Otukpo to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination scheduled for Thursday.
“Two persons, including the driver, managed to escape,” a source disclosed, noting that the journey occurred outside the transport company’s approved travel hours.
Confirming the incident, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, stated that 14 passengers were kidnapped, while one victim escaped.
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“I am currently in Otukpo with my team, coordinating the rescue operation. Our officers are already in the bush tracking the perpetrators,” Emenari said during a telephone interview.
He added that an investigation had commenced, particularly into the circumstances surrounding the journey, as Benue Links reportedly prohibits night travel.
“We are looking into why the bus was on the road at that time, as it is against the company’s policy. However, our priority is ensuring the safe rescue of the victims,” he added.
Also confirming the attack, the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, said security operatives had been deployed to the forest to secure the release of the abducted passengers.
“It is true. Security agencies have moved into the area, and efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims, most of whom are young students going to write their JAMB examination,” Ogiri said.
The Makurdi–Otukpo road has witnessed a series of violent attacks in recent months, raising fresh concerns over the safety of commuters in the area.
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