•13 remaining Benue victims rescued
The combined security operatives have rescued the remaining 13 passengers who were abducted Wednesday night.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed this early Sunday morning.
The CP said that the rescued kidnap victims will be brought to Makurdi anytime from now.
”Yes we’re planning a news conference this morning when they arrive Makurdi. Good morning please,” CP Emenari said.
Gunmen had on Wednesday night intercepted the state-owned transport vehicle, Benue Links and abducted some of the passengers among them young men and women who were to sit for the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in Otukpo.
The CP had on Friday disclosed that five of the victims had been rescued, leaving 13 in the kidnapper’s den.
Though, the authority of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB had in a statement issued on Saturday denied any of its candidates were victims of Fulani abduction.
But a relative who spoke to journalists in Makurdi late Saturday had dismissed the JAMB statement.
A relative of one of the victims who requested anonymity, said JAMB’s statement was “disturbing and dismissive,” stressing that a large number of passengers on the bus were travelling to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
“My nephew was on that bus, and he was heading to Otukpo for his JAMB examination. In fact, most of the passengers were candidates. Only a few were not going for the exam. That explains why they hurried to travel that evening, they had exams scheduled for early the next day.”
Meanwhile, Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, on Sunday called on the management of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB to reschedule the examination date for eight candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME kidnapped last Wednesday.
Alia made the call on Sunday when he played host to the remaining 13 kidnap victims who were rescued in the early hours of Sunday at the old banquet hall, Government House, Makurdi.
The governor said the kidnap victims were victims of circumstances and must not be neglected.
Alia said, “Many of the students were travelling to Otukpo. Seven were regular passengers, and 15 were kidnapped that fateful day. One of the victims escaped, and another one escaped the following day.
“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 explained that 15 out of the 18 passengers who were on board the Benue Links bus were kidnapped last Wednesday night between Taraku and Otukpo in Gwer East and Otukpo LGAs of the state, respectively.
The governor further 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.
The governor 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.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ifeanyi Emenari, said the rescue was made possible through the collaborative efforts of all the security agencies and the communities.
Eighteen passengers, including the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination candidates, were travelling to Otukpo that Wednesday night when they were abducted by gunmen around 8pm.
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