All 18 passengers abducted from a Benue Links bus on April 15, 2026, have been rescued, with authorities confirming their safety after a joint security operation.
The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Ifeanyi Emenari, disclosed this on Sunday while presenting 15 of the rescued victims to Governor Hyacinth Alia at the Government House in Makurdi.
Emenari said the operation, carried out with other security agencies, led to the successful recovery of all the victims.
The Commissioner of Police also announced the arrest of seven suspects linked to the incident, describing it as a breakthrough in the investigation.
He said that the arrests were made through intelligence-led efforts, with the suspects currently in custody.
The rescued victims are expected to receive medical attention as investigations into the incident continue.
Governor Alia, in his remarks, commended security operatives and community efforts for the rescue.
He also revealed that eight of the victims were candidates of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), who were travelling to Otukpo at the time of the attack.
The latest disclosure contrasts with earlier positions by both the police and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which had indicated that no UTME candidates were among those abducted.
Narrating her ordeal, one of the eight UTME candidates said that they were beaten with a machete and starved for three days.
She also said that the abductors demanded ₦10 million as ransom from each of the victims’ parents.
Gunmen had last Wednesday intercepted the state-owned Benue Links bus along the Benue Burnt Bricks in Otukpo, Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, robbed passengers, and whisked several of them into the bush.
Security operatives subsequently launched a coordinated search across nearby areas, leading to the rescue of some victims, while two others escaped from captivity.
On Sunday morning, the police confirmed that the remaining 13 victims had been freed, completing the rescue operation.
