The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the rescue of five passengers abducted during an attack on a commercial bus along the Makurdi–Otukpo road.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed that five passengers abducted along the Makurdi–Otukpo road have been rescued.
The victims were among those attacked on Wednesday night while travelling in a Benue Links bus heading towards Otukpo.
Speaking with journalists in Makurdi, CP Emenari disclosed that 18 persons, including the driver, were in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
While three passengers were not taken by the attackers and two managed to escape, 13 others remain in captivity.
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“For now, we cannot say exactly what happened because the driver picked up some passengers along the road.”
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The Commissioner of Police disclosed that preliminary investigations have not confirmed whether any of the victims were candidates of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, adding that there were suspicions that one or two might be affected.
“The most important thing now is to rescue the passengers, regardless of who they are. The 13 victims are still in a danger zone,” he stated.
CP Emenari assured residents that security operatives had intensified efforts to secure the release of the remaining victims, noting that rescue teams had been deployed to the area.
“We are on top of the situation. Our teams are in Otukpo, and we will not relent until the last victim is rescued. We have put in motion strategies to flush out criminals from the bush,” he said.
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He noted that the current farming season often coincides with increased security challenges, including farmer-herder clashes, but insisted that authorities were taking proactive steps to prevent escalation.
The passengers were reportedly travelling to Otukpo, with some believed to be heading for the ongoing UTME examinations, when the attack occurred.
