Pirates Abduct UTME Candidates, Others on Calabar Waterways

No fewer than 20 passengers, including candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, were reportedly abducted by sea pirates along waterways in Calabar.

A naval source, who spoke anonymously, said the incident occurred when armed men attacked a passenger ferry travelling from Calabar to Oron in Akwa Ibom State. The gunmen reportedly intercepted the boat mid-journey and took several passengers away at gunpoint.

While the exact number of victims remains unclear, it was gathered that many of those abducted were students heading to sit for the UTME in Akwa Ibom, raising fresh concerns over the safety of candidates travelling for national examinations.

Authorities have yet to issue a formal statement on the incident, although the police in Cross River State referred inquiries to their counterparts in Akwa Ibom.

Seven suspects arrested in Benue

In a related development, the Benue State Police Command has arrested seven suspected militia herdsmen linked to the abduction of passengers along the Makurdi–Otukpo highway.

The victims, who were initially reported to include UTME candidates, have since regained their freedom following a coordinated rescue operation involving multiple security agencies.

Briefing Hyacinth Alia in Makurdi, the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed that all 18 passengers abducted during the attack were safely recovered.

He explained that five victims were earlier released, while the remaining 13 were rescued during a follow-up operation. According to him, eight suspects are currently in custody, with seven believed to be directly connected to the crime.

Governor Alia, while receiving the victims, expressed relief over their safe return and commended security agencies for their efforts. He also appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to consider rescheduling examinations for any affected candidates.

Confusion over victims’ identity

Despite earlier reports, both the police and JAMB later clarified that the abducted passengers in the Benue incident were not UTME candidates.

According to JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the victims were travelling in connection with an ongoing police recruitment exercise and were returning to Otukpo when they were attacked.

The victims were eventually rescued from a forest in Ohimini Local Government Area and taken to the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital in Otukpo for medical attention.

The incidents have heightened concerns over insecurity on both land and waterways, especially for young Nigerians travelling for critical national activities, as stakeholders call for improved protection measures nationwide.