Benue Govt, JAMB Differ On Identity Of Rescued Kidnap Victims

The Benue State Government and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) are making conflicting claims over the identity of individuals recently rescued after a kidnapping on the Makurdi-Otukpo road.

The governor of the state, Fr. Hyacinth Alia on Sunday urged JAMB to reschedule examination dates for eight of the kidnapped victims whom he said were Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates, while the Board maintains that none of those rescued were its candidates.

Alia made the call when he hosted the remaining 13 kidnap victims who were rescued in the early hours of Sunday at the Old Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi, describing them as victims of circumstances who must not be neglected.

He said many of the students were travelling to Otukpo, noting that seven were regular passengers and 15 were kidnapped that fateful day, with one of the victims escaping that day and another escaping the following day.

The governor explained that 18 passengers, including UTME candidates, were travelling to Otukpo last Wednesday night when they were abducted by gunmen around 8 pm between Taraku and Otukpo in Gwer East and Otukpo LGAs of the state respectively, adding that the candidates had planned to spend the night in Otukpo before their early examination period because their examination centre was in Otukpo, about 105 kilometres from Makurdi, but were kidnapped a few kilometres from Otukpo.

“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,” the governor said.

Alia said all the remaining 13 kidnap victims were rescued by security agents with the cooperation of the communities and directed the state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, to take the victims to the State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi for proper medical check-up and treatment before handing them over to their families.

He applauded the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and all the heads of security agencies in the state for their efforts in rescuing the victims, recalling that security operatives in the state have shown tremendous diligence in the discharge of their duties, rescuing several kidnap victims across the state in the past.

Alia confirmed that seven suspects have been arrested over the latest kidnapping and urged security agents to rid ungoverned areas of criminal elements across the state, insisting that the people deserve to live in peace.

Earlier, the State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, said the victims were freed through the joint efforts of all security agencies working with the communities.