Fear has gripped parts of Benue State after gunmen intercepted a commercial bus and abducted passengers, including candidates heading to sit for the ongoing Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination.
The attack occurred on Wednesday night along the Makurdi–Otukpo Road when suspected armed men stopped a Benue Links bus carrying about 18 passengers travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo.
According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers forced several occupants into nearby bushes, leaving only the driver and one passenger who managed to escape.
Most of the victims were reportedly young students travelling to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, raising fresh concerns about the safety of road users during critical national examinations.
Police authorities confirmed that 14 passengers were abducted during the incident, while one escaped. The State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, said he was personally leading a coordinated rescue operation in the area.
Security forces, including divisional police officers and tactical teams, have been deployed to the surrounding forest as part of efforts to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victims.
Emenari also revealed that preliminary findings suggest the bus may have travelled beyond approved operating hours, noting that the transport company has a policy discouraging night travel. Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances that led to the journey.
The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attack and said security agencies were already on ground working to rescue the abducted passengers.
He added that most of the victims were students travelling specifically to write their JAMB examinations, describing the incident as deeply distressing for the community.
The Makurdi–Otukpo axis has witnessed repeated cases of armed attacks in recent months, raising growing concerns about insecurity on major highways across the region.
Authorities say operations are ongoing, while families of the victims await updates on rescue efforts.
