Kidnapped candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have narrated their traumatic experience after being rescued from captivity, where they said they were subjected to starvation, beatings, and inhumane treatment for four days.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to Nivo News, the victims were abducted on Wednesday along the Taraku–Otukpo road in Benue State when armed men attacked a Benue Links passenger vehicle. They were later rescued in the early hours of Sunday following coordinated operations by security operatives.
The Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, who received the victims at the Government House in Makurdi, confirmed that among those rescued were eight UTME candidates, while others were regular commuters. He assured that the victims would receive medical attention and support, adding that efforts were ongoing to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. He also appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to consider special arrangements for the affected candidates who missed their examinations.
Recounting their ordeal, one of the victims, 18-year-old Gbenga Daniels, said the abductors dispossessed him of ₦8,000 and subjected them to constant assault, adding that they survived without proper food or clean water. Another survivor, Ngukulan Iornav, also 18, said they were fed only garri mixed with salt throughout their captivity and were repeatedly beaten.
A medical student, Orih Raphael Sylvester, explained that the victims were moved from one location to another within the forest to avoid detection by security forces. He said they initially went without food, later drank unsafe water, and were eventually forced to contact their families under duress while being assaulted. He added that they were later given instructions early Sunday morning to move toward the express road, where they eventually encountered military personnel.
Other victims, including a 100-level Accounting student of the Federal University of Lafia, Sunday Augustine, and Akor Jessica, also described the experience as traumatic, noting that they sustained injuries from repeated beatings with sticks and machetes.
A relative of two of the victims disclosed that the kidnappers initially demanded ₦10 million per person before a ransom of ₦3.4 million, along with food supplies, was eventually paid to secure their release.
Security authorities confirmed that 18 passengers were initially abducted, with some escaping during the ordeal, while 13 remained in captivity until their rescue. The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Ifeanyi Enemari, said several suspects have been arrested and are assisting investigations, noting that the operation involved multiple security agencies.
However, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disputed claims that the victims were UTME candidates, stating that preliminary findings suggest they were participants in a police recruitment exercise returning from Makurdi when the incident occurred.
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