Gunmen suspected to be terrorists have abducted several passengers, including candidates sitting for the ongoing Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), along the Makurdi–Otukpo Road in Benue State.
The incident occurred on Wednesday night when a commercial bus belonging to Benue Links, travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo, was attacked by armed men.
Sources said the vehicle, conveying about 18 passengers, was intercepted near Otukpo at about 8pm, with most of the occupants reportedly whisked into the bush by the attackers.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, disclosed that the victims were largely young people heading to Otukpo to sit for the UTME examination scheduled for Thursday.
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“Two people, the driver and one passenger, managed to escape. Incidentally, the passengers were mainly young men and women travelling to write the JAMB examination,” the source said.
However, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, gave a different account, stating that 14 passengers were abducted, while one person escaped.
Emenari, who spoke on telephone on Thursday, said he was personally leading a rescue operation in the area.
“I am in Otukpo now with my team and the divisional police officers. We are already in the bush, and I am heading the operation.
“One Benue Links bus carrying passengers to Otukpo was attacked by hoodlums. Fourteen passengers were kidnapped, but one escaped,” he said.
The police boss added that investigations had commenced into the circumstances surrounding the journey, noting that the transport company has a policy against night travel.
According to him, the driver allegedly contravened the directive by picking up passengers after official hours.
“But we are investigating the matter, while also ensuring that the victims are rescued,” he added.
Also confirming the incident, the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, said security operatives had been deployed to comb the forest in a bid to rescue the abducted passengers.
“It is true. I just came out of a security meeting, and operatives have been moved into the forest to rescue the victims.
“They are mostly young boys and girls going to write JAMB,” he said.
The Makurdi–Otukpo Road has in recent months recorded repeated attacks by armed men, heightening concerns over the safety of commuters and travellers in the area.
