Suspected terrorists abducted multiple passengers—including candidates sitting for Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams—after ambushing a commercial bus along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State late Wednesday.
The victims were traveling in a Benue Links vehicle from Makurdi to Otukpo when gunmen intercepted the bus at about 8 p.m., according to local sources. The attackers reportedly forced most of the approximately 18 passengers into nearby bushland, sparking fears for their safety.
Witnesses said many of those on board were young students heading to Otukpo to sit for Thursday’s JAMB examination, a critical gateway for university admission in Nigeria.
“Two people—the driver and one passenger—managed to escape,” a source familiar with the incident said, speaking anonymously due to security concerns. “Most of the passengers were young men and women going to write the exam.”
Authorities, however, offered a slightly different account. Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed that 14 passengers were abducted, while one victim escaped.
“I am currently in Otukpo with my team, coordinating operations on the ground,” Emenari said in a phone interview Thursday. “The bus was attacked by hoodlums, and 14 passengers were kidnapped.”
The police chief added that an investigation is underway, noting that the transport company prohibits night travel. Preliminary findings suggest the driver may have violated this policy by picking up passengers after official hours.
Despite this, Emenari emphasized that rescue efforts remain the top priority. “We are on the ground to ensure the victims are rescued,” he said.
Local authorities have also mobilized security forces. Maxwell Ogiri, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, confirmed that operatives had been deployed into nearby forests.
“The victims are mainly young boys and girls coming to Otukpo to write JAMB,” Ogiri said. “Security teams are already in the forest working to secure their release.”
The Makurdi–Otukpo corridor has seen a spike in violent attacks in recent months, underscoring growing insecurity along key transit routes in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Separate Incidents Deepen Security Concerns
In a separate case in Kaduna State, a 32-day-old baby abducted alongside its mother has reportedly died in captivity, according to a local source identified as Comrade Ibrahim Sallau.
The kidnappers allegedly contacted the family, demanding a ₦7 million ransom to release the mother and return the infant’s body.
Meanwhile, in Zamfara State, armed bandits kidnapped Lauwali Sani, Head of Pharmacy at General Hospital Nasarawa, while he was traveling along the Gusau–Anka road, a known hotspot for attacks.
Security analyst Bakatsine said the abduction occurred shortly after Sani passed Mayanchi while returning from Gusau. Police authorities have yet to issue an official statement.
The incidents come amid escalating violence in northern Nigeria, where kidnappings, ransom demands, and attacks on rural communities continue to strain already overstretched security forces.
