The Benue State Police Command and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board have clarified that passengers abducted along the Makurdi-Otukpo Road on April 15 were not students travelling to write the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The two bodies issued separate statements on Saturday to correct widespread claims that had circulated across news media and social platforms since the incident.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Edet Udeme, said the victims were not confirmed to be part of any organised UTME-bound student convoy.

“The command states that this claim is incorrect, as the victims were not confirmed to be part of any organised UTME-bound student convoy, but passengers in a Makurdi-bound bus,” the statement read.

JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, went further, identifying the victims as participants in an ongoing police recruitment exercise who were returning to Otukpo at the time of the incident.

He said the misidentification had unfairly exposed the board to unwarranted public criticism and called on those who spread the false claims to apologise to JAMB.

“It is regrettable that, in moments like this, there is a tendency to hastily malign government institutions, particularly JAMB, without proper verification of facts. Such premature conclusions appear, at times, to be driven more by a desire to assign blame than to seek truth,” the statement read.

Benjamin said some individuals had gone as far as attempting to link the incident to the board’s examination schedule, despite clear inconsistencies in that narrative.

“One would expect that, in light of the facts now established, those who propagated these unfounded claims would extend a public apology to JAMB for the unwarranted damage to its reputation,” he said.

He further argued that the structure of UTME examinations made the original account implausible from the outset.

“The structure of UTME examinations makes it highly unlikely for candidates who know one another to be assigned to the same centre or to travel together for the exam. That such a flawed account gained widespread traction highlights the need for greater responsibility in information dissemination,” the statement read.

Benjamin also stressed that the identity or purpose of travel of the victims did not diminish the seriousness of the crime against them.

“Regardless of their identity or purpose of travel, no Nigerian deserves to be subjected to kidnapping. Such incidents should unite us in concern and compassion, rather than serve as an opportunity to disparage institutions,” he said.

He called on citizens to cultivate the discipline of verifying facts before drawing conclusions or assigning blame, adding that supporting institutions was more constructive than undermining them on the basis of unverified claims.

“The Board remains committed to implementing progressive, development-driven policies that will continue to elevate its operations to global standards. It will not be deterred by unfounded criticism or the efforts of detractors,” Benjamin said.

Meanwhile, the police confirmed that seven suspects had been arrested and some victims rescued following a joint security operation in Amla Forest and adjoining areas.

Udeme said the operation was coordinated across multiple security agencies and involved a targeted search-and-rescue mission. She did not disclose the number of victims rescued but said those recovered were receiving medical attention.

The Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, assured residents that efforts to rescue the remaining victims were ongoing, and urged the public to provide credible and timely information to support the operation. (PUNCH)

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