Thirteen passengers, including eight students en route to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), have been rescued from kidnappers in Benue State following a coordinated security operation.
The victims were abducted while traveling to Otukpo in Otukpo Local Government Area.
Their rescue was confirmed on Sunday when the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, formally handed them over to Governor Hyacinth Alia at the Government House in Makurdi.
According to the police commissioner, the successful operation was the result of sustained pressure mounted by officers of the Nigeria Police Force, supported by an intelligence team deployed by the Inspector-General of Police.
He added that collaboration with other security agencies and the support of the state government were instrumental in securing the victims’ release.
Emenari explained that security operatives intensified surveillance and expanded their operational scope across affected areas, particularly along the Taraku–Otukpo axis, which has recently emerged as a hotspot for criminal activities.
Governor Alia commended the efforts of the police and allied security agencies, describing the rescue as a significant breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping in the state.
He, however, issued a stern directive for continued operations to rid the area of criminal elements.
“We cannot tolerate anything that threatens the peace of our people,” the governor said.
"Security forces must thoroughly comb the forests and ensure all perpetrators and their accomplices are brought to justice.”
The governor also appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to reschedule the UTME for the affected students, noting that the state government would assume full responsibility for the process.
In emotional accounts, some of the rescued victims recounted their ordeal in captivity, revealing that they were subjected to physical abuse and deprived of basic necessities.
They reported being beaten with sticks and cutlasses, fed with unripe mangoes, and forced to drink unsafe water.
The captors reportedly moved them frequently through remote locations to evade detection by security forces.
Governor Alia expressed sympathy for residents of Gwer-West Local Government Area, where related security incidents have been recorded, and urged authorities to intensify efforts to prevent further attacks.
