The Pathfinder
Friday April 17, 2026
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No fewer than 14 passengers, many believed to be candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), have been abducted by armed men along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State.
The victims were reportedly travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo on Wednesday evening to sit for their examinations when their vehicle, an 18-seater Benue Links bus, was ambushed a few kilometres to Otukpo town around 7 p.m.
A source disclosed that the attackers intercepted the bus and forced the passengers into a nearby forest.
“The passengers were all marched into the forest. Most of them were students heading to write JAMB exams,” the source said.
The bus was said to be fully occupied at the time of the attack, but about four persons, including the driver, managed to escape.
Confirming the incident, Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, said security operatives had launched a coordinated rescue operation.
“I am in Otukpo now. All my tactical teams and Divisional Police Officers are in the bush, and I am personally leading the operation,” he said.
He explained that 14 passengers were abducted, while one escaped during the attack.
The police chief, however, raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding the journey, noting that Benue Links does not operate night services.
“From the information available, the company had closed for the day, but the driver picked up passengers along the road for reasons we are still investigating. That is how the incident occurred,” he added.
Meanwhile, in a separate attack, suspected terrorists abducted five residents, including a school proprietor, in Odo-Ore community, Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The assailants, numbering about 10, reportedly stormed the community on Wednesday evening, firing sporadically before whisking away their victims.
Among those abducted is Yusuf Yunusa, a prominent figure in the area and owner of a private school in Lagos, who had arrived in the community earlier that day. He was reportedly taken from his residence around 11 p.m. after the attackers forced their way into his home.
Four other victims, said to be farmers, were also abducted while leaving the community.
Residents said the attack has heightened fear in the area, noting the absence of any security presence.
A local source alleged that the operation may have been aided by insiders, claiming the attackers went straight to Yunusa’s residence.
A senior police officer at the Owu-Isin Divisional Headquarters confirmed the incident, although the Kwara State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement as of press time.
Both incidents underscore growing concerns over insecurity across parts of the country, particularly targeting travellers and rural communities.
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