Police, JAMB: Abducted Benue travellers not UTME candidates

The Benue State Police Command has clarified that passengers attacked in a commercial bus along the Otukpo–Makurdi route were not candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

In a statement issued on Friday, the command’s spokesperson, Udeme Edet, described earlier reports identifying the victims as UTME candidates as false and misleading.

According to him, some of the victims have been rescued through a coordinated operation involving the police and other security agencies, and are currently receiving medical care.

He explained that the victims were ordinary passengers travelling to Makurdi, not part of any organised convoy of students heading for the UTME.

Edet also disclosed that intelligence gathered during the operation led to the arrest of seven suspects, who are now in police custody as investigations continue.

Meanwhile, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) also dismissed claims that the abducted individuals were UTME candidates.

In a separate statement, JAMB’s public communications adviser, Fabian Benjamin, said the travellers had gone to Makurdi for an ongoing police recruitment exercise and were returning to Otukpo when the incident occurred.

Benjamin confirmed that seven of the victims have been successfully rescued, commending security agencies for their swift response.

He added that the structure of the UTME makes it unlikely for candidates who know each other to be assigned to the same centre or travel together for the examination.

Benjamin criticised the spread of unverified information, noting that the incident highlights the need for greater responsibility in information dissemination.

He expressed hope for continued improvement in Nigeria’s security system to prevent such incidents in the future.