Oliushola Omogbehin
About 15 passengers who were mostly candidates for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) have been kidnapped along a highway in Benue State.
This was disclosed by the General Manager of Benue Links transport company, Dr Alexander Fanafa.
Fanafa confirmed the abduction of 15 passengers who were due to sit for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination on Thursday.
The incident which occurred between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at Ikubi, Otukpo local government council on Wednesday involved an 18 sitter’s bus
According to Fanafa, the driver of the 18 sitter bus and few of the passengers managed to escape but the kidnappers went away with 15.
He told The Guardian that the driver was in police custody because he betrayed the company’s rules by embarking on a trip at night.
He explained that there is an extant order that non of the company’s vehicles should embark on any trip after 6pm because of the insecurity in the land.
He said that since the journey didn’t follow due process, it was not documented by the company so Benue Links do not have the details of the kidnapped victims other than the fact that most of them were going to sit for JAMB.
The Benue Links GM advised that JAMB should find a way to have candidates sitting for the exam write it within their localities because of the exigencies of the times rather than exposing their candidates, many of whom are still minors, to the dangers of traveling far distances.
“The most painful aspect is that, they have missed their exams and JAMB doesn’t reschedule. Now the kids would be forced to miss a whole session even if they are rescued, which by God’s grace, they will. I feel terrible that this whole thing is caused by our driver, how will the parents be feeling now?”, he lamented.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Enemari, has however confirmed the development, saying he was personally leading a rescue operation.
“I’m in Otukpo now. My team and all DPOs are in the bush, and I am heading the operation,” Enemari said.
Speaking further, Enemari said the vehicle was intercepted by armed attackers who abducted most of the passengers.
“What happened was that a Benue Links bus carrying passengers to Otukpo was stopped and attacked by hoodlums. Fourteen passengers were kidnapped, but one managed to escape,” he said.
