Gunmen Abduct JAMB Candidates in Benue, Police Launch Rescue Operation

Suspected gunmen have abducted several candidates of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Benue State, sparking renewed concerns over insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night along the Makurdi–Otukpo road when an 18-seater bus conveying passengers, mostly students heading to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, was ambushed.

According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers intercepted the vehicle around 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and forcefully marched many of the passengers into a nearby forest.

While initial reports suggested that up to 17 candidates may have been taken, the Benue State Police Command confirmed that at least 14 passengers were abducted, with one victim managing to escape.

The victims were said to be travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo to participate in the UTME scheduled for Thursday.

Confirming the development, the Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Ifeanyi Emenari, said he is personally leading a coordinated rescue effort alongside tactical teams and divisional police officers deployed to the area.

Security operatives have since launched a search operation in nearby forests to track down the abductors and rescue the victims.

Authorities have yet to establish the exact number of those kidnapped, as figures vary across reports. Meanwhile, the attack has raised fresh concerns about the safety of students forced to travel long distances to sit for national examinations amid persistent insecurity.

Benue State, like many parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt, has witnessed repeated incidents of kidnappings and armed attacks, with travellers frequently targeted along major highways.