Gunmen Abduct 14 JAMB Candidates in Benue During Travel to Exam Site

Unidentified gunmen have reportedly kidnapped at least 14 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) candidates while they were traveling by commercial bus from Makurdi to Otukpo, Benue State, to sit for examinations on Thursday. The chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the incident, stating that the victims are young people heading to Otukpo for their JAMB exams and that security agents have been deployed with ongoing rescue efforts. This incident raises serious concerns about the safety of students traveling to examination centers in the region and highlights the ongoing insecurity affecting educational activities in Benue. Given the gravity of the situation, what steps should authorities and communities take to protect students and ensure safe passage to examination venues, and how can the public support rescue and prevention initiatives?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/04/16/gunmen-abduct-14-jamb-candidates-in-benue/