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Tension is mounting in Benue State after bandits demanded ₦9 million each for two students believed to be JAMB candidates abducted from a commercial bus, even as the Nigeria Police Force announced a major breakthrough with the arrest of seven suspects and the rescue of some victims.

The victims were among passengers seized on Wednesday when gunmen intercepted an 18-seater Benue Links bus travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo, forcing occupants into nearby bush paths in what has become a chilling pattern of highway kidnappings in the region.

Family In Distress As Ransom Soars

In an emotional appeal, the father of two of the abducted students said the kidnappers have escalated their demands after a series of confusing negotiations, leaving the family devastated and helpless.

According to him, the abductors initially demanded ₦10 million for each of the victims before briefly dropping the figure to ₦500,000, only to return with a hardline demand of ₦9 million per child.

“I have two children that were kidnapped in that bus and none of them has been released,” the distraught father said.

“They first asked for ₦10 million each, later said ₦500,000, but now they insist on ₦9 million each. We are still begging them.”

The father, who spoke under anonymity for security reasons, revealed that his children were travelling from Nasarawa State when they fell into the hands of the kidnappers after boarding the ill-fated vehicle.

“Even if you sell me, I cannot be worth the ₦9 million they are asking for each of them,” he lamented.

He said the incident has thrown the family into emotional turmoil, disclosing that his wife has not eaten since the abduction, while the family now clings to hope for government intervention.

Sources say several of the victims were young travellers, including students heading to write examinations, heightening public outrage over the targeting of vulnerable citizens on Nigerian highways.

The attack has again spotlighted the growing insecurity along major routes in Benue and neighbouring states, where bandits and suspected armed herdsmen have increasingly tightened their grip.

Amid the rising anxiety, the Benue State Police Command confirmed a breakthrough in the ongoing rescue operation.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, the command said a coordinated operation involving multiple security agencies has yielded results.

“The Benue State Police Command wishes to inform the general public of a significant breakthrough following the kidnapping incident,” the statement read.

According to the police, operatives launched a targeted search-and-rescue mission in Amla Forest and surrounding areas, leading to the rescue of some victims, who are now receiving medical attention.

The operation also resulted in the arrest of seven suspects, who are currently in custody as investigations continue.

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The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the death of a police inspector, Jido Ahmed, attached to 61 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Kontagora, following his involvement in an alleged armed robbery.

In a statement released in Minna on Friday, the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, revealed that the late inspector and an accomplice, who is currently at large, had attacked a filling station behind the BCG Motor Park in Kontagora

The inspector died on Thursday at the police clinic in Minna from gunshot injuries sustained during a confrontation with a police patrol team from ‘A’ Division in Kontagora.

During the operation, they reportedly shot the station attendant after robbing him of an undisclosed amount of money.

“It was reported that the two suspected robbers used a motorcycle, went to the filling station, robbed an attendant, and shot the victim in the chest,” the statement read.

Consequently, Abiodun disclosed that the police patrol team from ‘A’ Division, Kontagora, immediately mobilised to the scene. They pursued the alleged robbers to the Dadin Kowa area of Kontagora, where a gun duel ensued.

“Fortunately, one of the robbers was shot in the leg, disarmed, and later identified as one Inspector Jido Ahmed attached to 61 PMF Kontagora. He was taken to General Hospital, Kontagora, for medical attention and later transferred to the Police Clinic, Minna,” Abiodun added.

The command further noted that the inspector was confirmed dead on Friday. “Further investigation into the unfortunate incident is ongoing, and effort to arrest the fleeing suspect is intensified,” the PPRO stated.

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The Benue State Police Command says that two abducted passengers from a commercial bus earlier this week have managed to escape their captors, while efforts intensify to rescue the remaining passengers.

About 14 candidates travelling to Otukpo for their examination centres in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) were abducted.

According to a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, on Friday, investigations revealed that the vehicle involved was a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number BGT 234 S4 belonging to Benue Links Limited.

Police also confirmed that one suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident.

However, Edet disclosed the driver reportedly violated company policy by embarking on an unauthorised late-night journey.

The driver is said to have picked up passengers randomly along the route without issuing a formal manifest, contrary to standard operating procedures.

Initial reports suggesting that all passengers were students travelling for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have also been clarified as inaccurate.

She also said security operatives have since launched a coordinated operation to locate and rescue the remaining victims.

“The Command has deployed several tactical teams, including the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, and is working with other sister agencies to track down the perpetrators and ensure the safe return of the victims,” the statement said.

Authorities have assured the public that the situation is being closely monitored and that efforts are ongoing to bring all those responsible to justice.

Driver Undergoing Interrogation

The incident took place between 7–8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, along the Benue Burnt Bricks in Otukpo, Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.

Conflicting figures emerged regarding the number of victims.

While some sources gave estimates that about 17 passengers were abducted, the police confirmed 14, noting that one individual managed to escape at the time of the attack.

According to sources, the assailants waylaid the bus and robbed the occupants of their belongings before whisking them away into the bush.

An eyewitness, who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity, said the Benue Links bus, which was conveying about 18 passengers, ran into the kidnappers at about 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday night.

“The passengers were mainly young persons heading to Otukpo to sit for the JAMB examination scheduled for Thursday.

“Two people, the driver and one passenger, managed to escape. Incidentally, the passengers were mainly young men and women who travelled to sit for the JAMB examination scheduled for today (Thursday),” he said.

When contacted, the General Manager of Benue Links, Mr Alexander Fanafa, confirmed the incident, noting that the driver of the bus is presently undergoing interrogation at the police station in Otukpo for violating the company’s safety policy not to travel beyond 6:00 p.m.

He said, “As I speak with you, the driver has been arrested and is under investigation for travelling against company directive. I have warned all drivers to stop night journeys, as they would be held as first suspects if anything unfortunate happens.”

The General Manager further stated that the driver took his vehicle and loaded the passengers who were heading to Otukpo after official hours when the park manager, Mr Amedu, had closed, and ran into trouble, so he has been arrested.

The Executive Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council, Prince Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the incident, saying that it occurred between 7 and 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Leadership Failure

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Friday, criticised the nation’s security priorities, describing the incident as a reflection of deepening insecurity and a failure of leadership.

Obi accused authorities of prioritising electoral interests over citizens’ safety.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain said the abduction of the students was both “heartbreaking” and indicative of a systemic breakdown in governance.

“The news of the abduction of innocent UTME candidates in Benue State is not just heartbreaking but a damning indictment of the failure of leadership and the collapse of security in our nation,” he said.

He further lamented the impact of insecurity on education, noting Nigeria’s already low rate of tertiary education attainment compared to peer countries.

“Young Nigerians striving for an education are being met with terror. In a country where the share of tertiary graduates is already painfully low (about 1%), which is far below peers like Indonesia (about 13%) and South Africa (around 10%). This is unacceptable. We cannot afford to lose even one more student to violence,” he said.

“Those entrusted with protecting these young students appear increasingly preoccupied with the next election, projecting strength and power to rig elections, rather than deploying that same power and agencies to secure our roads, prevent these crimes, and rescue the abducted children who should not be in the hands of criminals but in examination halls.”

The ex-presidential candidate warned that the incident reflects a broader national emergency.

“This is no longer an isolated tragedy. It is a pattern. It is a national crisis. And it demands urgent, decisive, and responsible action, not excuses, not silence, but leadership that matches the scale of the emergency this deserves. A nation that abandons its youth abandons its future. This cannot continue.”