For many students, the journey to sit the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination is usually filled with anxiety about questions, time, and network results, among other issues. But on the evening of Wednesday, April 15, 2026, for a group of young candidates travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo in Benue State, their anxiety quickly turned into a desperate struggle for survival.

At about 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Wednesday, some students and other passengers boarded an 18-seater bus belonging to Benue Links Nigeria Limited, the Benue State-owned transport company, in Makurdi, en route to the Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. There, they hoped to sit their JAMB examinations the following day.

It was like any normal day. The students had prepared for their exams; some had prayed and received hugs and best wishes from family and friends before leaving home, carefully carrying their admission slips and dreams of a university education.

But oblivious to what the journey held, they headed out on a dangerous trip. None imagined that the journey meant to shape their future would lead them deep into a forest at the hands of armed kidnappers.

Our correspondent gathered that at about 8:00 pm on that fateful day, around Taraku, their vehicle was accosted by men of the underworld who attacked and abducted the occupants. Besides the driver, who was missing after the vehicle was jolted to a halt, only one person was said to have escaped initially from the kidnappers’ den.

The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, CP Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed the incident, saying he had led a team of officers to Otukpo and was combing the bushes to ensure the passengers were rescued.

One of the victims who escaped miraculously from the kidnappers, simply identified as Francis, has narrated a harrowing experience on the night he prayed for God to save his life.

The survivor, in a viral video making the rounds on social media, said they were attacked by fierce-looking men who wielded sophisticated weapons, including AK-47s and machetes.

They had left the park in Makurdi at about 7:00 pm and, on getting to Taraku along the Makurdi-Otukpo road, the journey turned into a nightmare.

“Immediately we reached there, we saw five men standing in the road. They were all holding guns, AK-47 and long knives. They ordered everybody to come down,” Francis recalled.

Within seconds, it dawned on them that they were in trouble.

“So we began to come down, and they started beating us. They spoke English to us but spoke Hausa when they want to speak to themselves. We were laying helpless on the ground when one of them inquired to know where the driver was and we said we don’t know.”

The survivor recalled further that immediately their vehicle was stopped, “The driver just disappeared like that. And when they asked us his whereabouts, we say we didn’t see the driver.” Their answer rather angered the abductors, who beat them more and ordered every passenger to march into the bush.

“As we were getting up, they pushed us and shouted orders.” In a moment, every passenger was searched and dispossessed of their valuable items.

The survivor said, “As we were moving deep into the bush, they saw my hand. I bought one new watch recently and I was wearing it. They just forced the watch from my wrist which gave me some wounds.

“They still asked what else I have with me and I say I don’t have anything. So they took us all to one camp. They said everybody must sit down and we sat down. They ask us one by one, which work we do for a living? Some say they were going to write JAMB in Otukpo.

“Three of us in the vehicle were just coming back from the police screening. The other guy did his screening on 15th April and I was screened on 14 April and we were on our way back when the incident occurred.

“So they took us deep into the bush; far, far. Then they kept beating and slapping us. They asked us to bring what we have. They inquired what I was going to do in Otukpo, I told them I was going to write my JAMB.

“Then they started searching us and asking us to bring the things we had. They were collecting everything they saw. They collect my money, N21,000 with my handset. At first they ask me where is my handset and I told them I don’t have.

“But immediately I said that, someone called me and my phone began to ring and one of the guys they called ‘Dogo’ came and collected the phone and slapped me. He wiped my face well, well. After they were done collecting the items, they ordered everybody to keep moving.”

As darkness thickened and the walk became unending, Francis said they all became tired, but he had to say a prayer of faith.

“I quickly remembered I had one chaplet with me, so I put the head in my mouth and began to pray. Even when other victims were all tired and couldn’t pray any longer, I continued to pray.

“I was telling my God that Fulani fight is not my portion, Fulani cannot kill me, Jesus save me, Jesus save me, Oh! Jesus save me.

“As we were moving I noticed that I was wearing black from up to down, I told myself that if I leave the line, they won’t see me.” As they were talking in whispers, the others told him it was a dangerous chance to take because while two of the abductors were in front giving direction, three others were behind.

But he took the chance anyway, assuring himself that he would not run but leave silently. He said he also noticed that the abductors were scared to flash their torches to avoid being noticed since they passed through some villages which were near a community called Otukpo Nobi.

“I said to myself that since there’s no flash torch and everywhere was dark, this is my opportunity. So like play, I just left the line and hid behind some leaves. They all came passed me. That was when I came out and began to run. I didn’t see anyone, I didn’t also know where the road was but I was just running. I got to a point and I saw one road, I jumped on the road and continued running.”

Francis may have run for eight hours non-stop, but it was a race for his life. “From that 8:00 pm, I ran until I got to Otukpo Nobi at about 4:00 am. It was there that I met some Idoma people going to work that early morning.”

The survivor, however, expressed worries that though God has saved him, the remaining 17 people are still with the abductors inside the bush.

He recalled with pain, saying: “Even the old man that was with us, I saw them slap the old man. There was also an old woman.

“I didn’t expect this at all. God just run am for me I swear if not I told myself that I don’t die already.

“My worry was that nobody even knows that we were kidnapped. Nobody witnessed it. So how would our people know where we are if we die here? That was what I was thinking before God save me,” he said.

Trip unauthorised – Benue Links Mgt.

Meanwhile, the Management of Benue Links Nigeria Limited has confirmed the incident involving one of its vehicles, which occurred on the night of Wednesday, 15th April 2026, at the Ikobi area in Otukpo LGA of the State.

The General Manager, Comrade Alexander Fanafa, who described the incident as unfortunate, stated that the said trip was unauthorised and conducted in clear violation of the company’s operational guidelines.

Fanafa, in a statement signed by the company’s Information Officer, Johnson Daniel, explained that “There is a standing directive prohibiting all company vehicles from undertaking journeys beyond 6:00pm due to prevailing security challenges.”

He said: “The driver, acting without the knowledge or approval of Management, removed the vehicle from the company’s premises, picked up passengers and embarked on the journey without due documentation or clearance.

“As a result of this breach of protocol, the trip was not officially recorded and the company currently does not have comprehensive details of the affected passengers, aside from indications that a majority were JAMB candidates.”

According to the statement, the driver involved is presently in police custody and investigations are ongoing to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

The General Manager, on behalf of Management and Staff of the company, expressed deep sympathy with the families of the affected passengers and shares in their distress at this difficult time.

He said the company Is working closely with relevant security agencies to support ongoing efforts aimed at securing the safe release of the abducted passengers.

He reiterated the commitment of Benue Links to the safety and security of its passengers, saying they will continue to enforce strict compliance with its operational policies to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

He noted also that reports indicate that the vehicle, an 18-seater bus, was conveying passengers, most of whom were candidates scheduled to sit the JAMB examination the following day, when it was attacked by armed persons. He stated that during the incident, the driver and a few passengers managed to escape, while 15 passengers were reportedly abducted. Two of the abducted passengers subsequently escaped, bringing the number of those currently unaccounted for to 13.

Governor Alia Condemns Abduction

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has condemned the abduction of passengers along the Makurdi–Otukpo Road.

The Governor, who expressed deep concern and outrage over the report of the abduction of passengers, including young candidates of the JAMB examination at Otukpo, described the act as a reprehensible and cowardly act by criminal elements.

He said: “The targeting of innocent citizens, particularly students on their way to sit for examinations, is unacceptable and stands against every norm of humanity and civil order.”

Alia assured the people of Benue State, especially the affected families and parents, that security agencies have already swung into action and are firmly on the heels of the perpetrators.

“Tactical teams have been fully mobilised, and coordinated search-and-rescue operations are also ongoing to ensure the safe return of all abducted persons. He further reiterated his earlier call that terrorists and other criminals hiding in forests within the state should immediately be flushed out.”

Alia said: “We understand the anxiety and pain this incident has caused, particularly to parents whose children were among those abducted.

“We stand with you at this difficult time and assure you that everything humanly and operationally possible will be done to secure their safe release.”

The Governor also reiterated his commitment to strengthening security across the state and urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, and to continue to cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information where necessary.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, Governor Alia also stated that Benue State will not succumb to criminality and assured the residents of the state, saying, “We will continue to take decisive actions to protect lives and property”.

As at the time of filing this report on Saturday, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Ifeanyi Emenari, said they were on top of the situation.

“I was in Otukpo to coordinate the rescue operation. Right now, my OC operations is in Otukpo with all the tactical team including the IG Intelligence Response Team and our anti kidnapping team. We have about five tactical teams on ground doing the needful and I can assure you that, in no distance time by the grace of God, we are going to get the victims rescued.”

CP Emenari, who noted that 13 victims are still in the danger zone, said two victims have been rescued, debriefed, and allowed to go back to their families, and the most important thing is for them to rescue the remaining passengers.

“The person that escaped was one of the persons that came for the police screening. He is at home and stable now. The bus is 18-passenger vehicle. Out of the 18 passengers, five are freed now because the kidnappers did not go with three passengers and two escaped. So a total of 13 are In the bush.

“We are on top of the situation. Our rescue team are in Otukpo and we are not going to leave until the last victim is rescued.” (The Sun)