Benue Governor Advocates for UTME Rescheduling After Kidnapping Incident
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has made a formal appeal to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), urging the organization to reschedule the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for eight candidates who were abducted in the state. The incident occurred last Wednesday along the Makurdi–Otukpo road, where the victims were among passengers kidnapped during a violent attack.
Rescue Operation and Conflicting Accounts
Security operatives successfully rescued the abducted individuals during a coordinated operation in a forest located in Okere ward, Ohimini Local Government Area. Governor Alia, speaking at the Government House in Makurdi on Sunday, provided details of the event, stating that a total of 15 persons were kidnapped. He noted that two individuals managed to escape earlier, while the remaining 13 were eventually rescued by troops of the Nigerian army, with crucial support from local communities.
"Many of the students were travelling to Otukpo. Seven were regular passengers, and 15 were kidnapped that fateful day. One of the victims escaped, and another one escaped the following day," the governor explained. "Today, all the remaining 13 kidnap victims were rescued by the security agents with the cooperation of the communities. I call on JAMB to look into the case of the eight young students and reschedule dates for them to write their examination."
Disputed Claims from Authorities
However, earlier statements from authorities have cast doubt on the identification of the abducted passengers as UTME candidates. The Benue State Police Command, through its spokesperson Udeme Edet, described reports labeling the victims as examination candidates as "misinformation and incorrect." Similarly, JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin clarified that the travellers were actually returning from a police recruitment exercise in Makurdi at the time of the incident, rather than being UTME candidates.
This discrepancy highlights ongoing challenges in verifying information during security crises in Nigeria. The governor's call for JAMB to reschedule the exams underscores the importance of ensuring educational opportunities for affected youth, regardless of the conflicting narratives. The incident has sparked discussions on road safety and the need for enhanced security measures along major highways in Benue State.
