Some yet-to-be-identified gunmen have kidnapped 14 passengers, principally candidates for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination.
The candidates had been stated to have been kidnapped throughout an assault by the gunmen on a business bus alongside the Makurdi-Otukpo Street in Benue State.
Sources aware about the incident stated the candidates had been on their technique to Otukpo on Wednesday evening to take a seat for his or her JAMB examination which was scheduled to happen on Thursday, April 16.
In response to the sources, the gunmen carried out the assault on the travellers between 7 pm and eight pm.
Whereas the motive force and one different passenger managed to flee, others had been whisked away by the gunmen who attacked the state-owned business car, Benue Hyperlinks.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Otukpo Native Authorities Space, Maxwell Ogiri, informed journalists that the victims had been younger individuals coming into Otukpo for his or her JAMB examination.
Ogiri stated, “The victims are younger individuals coming to Otukpo to jot down JAMB. Safety brokers have been deployed and efforts are ongoing to rescue them.”
Additionally talking on the incident, the Benue state commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Enemari, stated he’s presently main the operation to rescue the victims.
“I’m in Otukpo now. My staff and all DPOs are within the bush, and I’m heading the operation.
“What occurred was {that a} Benue Hyperlinks bus carrying passengers to Otukpo was stopped and attacked by hoodlums. Fourteen passengers had been kidnapped, however one managed to flee,” Enemari stated.
He additional famous that the business bus might have been working outdoors the accredited journey hours.
“Benue Hyperlinks, as a coverage, doesn’t normally function at evening. From what we gathered, official operations had closed, however the driver, for causes we’re nonetheless investigating, picked up passengers alongside the street. When he obtained right here, the incident occurred. We’re on the bottom to verify the victims are rescued,” he stated.