The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has refuted claims that victims of a recent kidnapping in Benue State were Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates. In a statement released on Saturday in Abuja, Public Communication Advisor Dr. Fabian Benjamin confirmed the individuals were not en route to sit for the 2026 UTME. Instead, they were participants in a police recruitment exercise returning to Otukpo from Makurdi when they were abducted. JAMB clarified that the structure of the UTME does not support group travel, as candidates are rarely assigned the same examination centre. The Board noted that seven of the kidnapped individuals have been rescued by security agencies, a development it described as commendable. JAMB condemned the circulation of unverified reports linking the attack to its examination process, stating such misinformation damages institutional credibility. The Board urged the public and media to verify facts before publishing or sharing claims. It reiterated that no Nigerian should be subjected to kidnapping, regardless of circumstance, and expressed confidence in the improvement of the country's security architecture.

💡 NaijaBuzz Take

JAMB is quick to distance itself from blame yet offers no explanation for why its examination schedule was the first assumption in public discourse. The fact that seven police recruitment participants were kidnapped while returning from Makurdi exposes the vulnerability of Nigerians traveling for official government exercises. If even those en route to join the security apparatus can be ambushed, the safety of ordinary travelers is further undermined. The Board's emphasis on reputation over the broader crisis of mobility insecurity speaks volumes.

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