Gunmen have abducted passengers, including candidates of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, along the Makurdi-Otukpo road in Benue State.
The victims were travelling in a Benue Links bus from Makurdi to Otukpo when the attack occurred on Wednesday night.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the bus was carrying about 18 passengers when it was intercepted near Otukpo around 8 pm by suspected bandits.
The attackers reportedly took most of the occupants into the bush, leaving only a few who managed to escape.
According to the source, the passengers were mainly young people heading to Otukpo to sit for the JAMB examination scheduled for Thursday.
“Two people, the driver and one passenger, managed to escape. Incidentally, the passengers were mainly young men and women who travelled to sit for the JAMB examination scheduled for today (Thursday),” he said.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed the incident, stating that 14 passengers were abducted.
“I am in Otukpo now with all my team and DPOs who are here in the bush and am heading the operation.
“What happened was that one Benue Links bus carrying passengers coming to Otukpo was stopped and attacked by hoodlums and 14 passengers were kidnapped but one was able to escape,” he said.
Emenari added that an investigation had commenced, particularly into the circumstances surrounding the journey.
“But as we are investigating, we are on the ground to make sure that the victims are rescued,” the CP said.
The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, also confirmed the attack, noting that security operatives had been deployed, while recurring assaults have made the Makurdi-Otukpo road increasingly dangerous for travellers.
