What should have been a journey toward opportunity turned into a night of terror in Benue State, as gunmen abducted at least 15 passengers—mostly students heading to sit for their JAMB examination—leaving families in anguish and futures hanging in the balance.
The victims were traveling in a Benue Links bus from Makurdi to Otukpo when they were ambushed at Ikubi in Otukpo Local Government Area on Wednesday night.
Among those taken were candidates scheduled to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination the following day—a crucial test that could determine their academic future.
The General Manager of Benue Links, Dr. Alexander Fanafa, confirmed the incident, describing it as both tragic and avoidable.
According to him, the driver of the 18-seater bus, along with a few passengers, managed to escape. However, the attackers whisked away 15 others into the night.
In a troubling revelation, Fanafa disclosed that the journey itself violated standing safety directives.
“There is a clear instruction that no vehicle should travel after 6 p.m. due to the security situation,” he said.
But driven by urgency—and desperation—the driver reportedly bypassed official procedures, loading the students outside the company’s premises and setting off without authorization.
The consequence: a journey undocumented, a passenger list incomplete, and victims whose identities are still largely unknown.
“They were desperate to write their exams,” Fanafa said. “Now they have not only missed that opportunity, but their safety is uncertain.”
Beyond the immediate خوف, the incident exposes a deeper crisis at the intersection of education and insecurity in Nigeria—where young students must risk dangerous journeys just to access examination centres.
Fanafa urged authorities to rethink the current system.
“JAMB should allow candidates to write exams within their localities,” he said. “These are mostly minors. They should not be exposed to this level of danger.”
For the affected families, however, the concern goes far beyond missed exams.
“The most painful part is that even if they are rescued, they may lose a whole academic year,” he lamented. “How will the parents be feeling now?”
As security agencies intensify efforts to locate the abducted students, the incident stands as a chilling reminder: in parts of Nigeria today, even the pursuit of education can come at a devastating cost.
Gunmen abduct Jamb Candidates en route exam Center
