Governor Hyacinth Alia has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to reschedule the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for eight candidates affected by a recent abduction in the state.
The victims were among passengers kidnapped last Wednesday along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State. They were later rescued during a joint operation by security operatives and local community members in Okere ward, Ohimini Local Government Area.
Speaking at the Government House in Makurdi, Governor Alia disclosed that 15 persons were initially abducted during the incident. According to him, two victims escaped earlier, while the remaining 13 were successfully rescued.
He noted that some of the victims were students travelling to sit for the 2026 UTME and appealed to JAMB to make special arrangements for them.
“I call on JAMB to consider the situation of these young students and reschedule their examination dates,” the governor said.
However, earlier statements from authorities have raised doubts about whether the victims were UTME candidates. The Benue State Police Command described such claims as inaccurate, while JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, stated that the individuals were returning from a police recruitment exercise in Makurdi at the time of the incident.
The development highlights ongoing concerns around security and its impact on students and examination processes in parts of the country.
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