WorldStage– Suspected kidnappers acting like gunmen have abducted 14 passengers, including candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), along the Makurdi–Otukpo highway in Benue State.
The victims were said to be traveling in a Benue Links bus, the state-owned transport company, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 to reach their examination centers in Otukpo for the test scheduled for the following day.
The attack reportedly occurred around 8:00 p.m. near the Operation Whirl Stroke barracks along the Makurdi–Otukpo road by armed men who intercepted the 18-seater bus, forced it to stop, and robbed the occupants before dragging most of them into the nearby bush
While most passengers were taken, the driver and one passenger managed to escape the scene.
Most of the abductees were young students heading to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams.
Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed the incident and stated he is personally leading a tactical team in a rescue operation within the forest.
The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed that security operatives have been mobilized to the area.
The police noted that Benue Links has a policy against night travel, but the driver allegedly picked up passengers after official hours.
Reports on the exact number of candidates kidnapped vary between sources, with some initial reports mentioning seven while others indicate a higher number among the 14 or 15 total passengers abducted.
