No fewer than 14 passengers, many believed to be candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, were abducted by gunmen along the Makurdi–Otukpo highway in Benue State on Wednesday evening.
The victims were said to be travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo for their scheduled examination when their vehicle, an 18-seater commercial bus, was intercepted a few kilometres to their destination at about 7pm.
Sources disclosed that the attackers halted the vehicle on the highway and forced the occupants into a nearby forest.
A source familiar with the incident said most of the passengers were students heading to sit for the examination, adding that only a few managed to escape the attack.
“The vehicle was fully occupied, but about four persons, including the driver, escaped. The remaining passengers were taken into the bush,” the source said.
Security operatives have since launched a search operation in a bid to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
Confirming the development, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, said he had deployed tactical teams and divisional officers to the area, noting that he was personally coordinating the rescue mission.
He, however, raised concerns over the circumstances surrounding the journey, stating that the transport company involved does not operate night services.
According to him, preliminary findings suggest the driver may have picked up passengers after official closing hours, a development he said contributed to the incident.
The police boss assured that efforts were ongoing to secure the victims’ release and unravel the circumstances leading to the attack.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, suspected gunmen abducted five persons, including a school proprietor, in Odo-Ore community in Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The assailants, reportedly numbering about 10, were said to have invaded the community on Wednesday night, shooting intermittently before whisking away their victims.
Residents said the attackers targeted the residence of a prominent figure in the area, Yusuf Yunusa, whom they abducted after reportedly forcing entry into his home.
Four other victims, identified as farmers, were also reportedly seized while attempting to flee the community during the attack.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, suggested that the operation may have been aided by insider information, noting that the attackers appeared to have prior knowledge of their target.
The source added that the incident has heightened fear among residents, especially as the community lacks a visible security presence.
A senior police officer in the area confirmed the incident, but the Kwara State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement as of the time of filing this report.