Twelve JAMB candidates remain in captivity after gunmen attacked a Benue Links bus on the Makurdi-Otukpo road around 8 p.m. on Wednesday. The attackers abducted 14 people, including students returning from the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, but two have since escaped. The remaining 12, mostly young people, are still being held in a forest location. Three passengers, including the bus driver, avoided abduction and were taken into police custody for questioning. Benue State Police Commissioner Ifeanyi Emenari confirmed he is leading a search-and-rescue operation involving tactical teams and Divisional Police Officers to locate the victims and apprehend the kidnappers.
Benue Links Nigeria Limited stated the driver violated company policy by operating after 6 p.m., a restriction imposed due to security risks. The company said he took the bus without authorization, picked up passengers en route, and departed without proper clearance. While no ransom demands have been officially received, security agencies and local vigilantes are working to secure the captives' release. Security expert Kunle Olajide criticized JAMB for scheduling exams in high-risk states without adjusting timetables, referencing last year's SSCE exam attacks. Salewa Abdulrasak condemned the targeting of students, calling the nation a joke, while Ogunsemi blamed President Bola Tinubu for failing to protect citizens and accused JAMB of endangering lives.
JAMB scheduled exams in Benue despite known security risks, then left students exposed on dangerous roads past dusk. The driver broke company rules by travelling late, but JAMB's timetable gave no safe option for candidates needing to return after testing. Twelve young people are now trapped in a forest because institutions failed to align schedules with reality. No timetable adjustment, no security escort—just blame passed between agencies while students pay the price.
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