Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to reschedule the examination for eight UTME candidates who were recently rescued after being kidnapped.
Alia made the appeal on Sunday while receiving 13 rescued kidnap victims at the old Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi.
He stated that the students were innocent victims of circumstance and should not be disadvantaged.
According to him, “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.
“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 the victims were among passengers abducted while travelling on the Benue Links route, adding that security operatives, with support from local communities, successfully rescued the remaining victims.
He also directed that the rescued individuals be taken to the State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi for medical assessment and treatment before being reunited with their families.
Alia commended security agencies, including the Inspector-General of Police and other operatives in the state, for their swift response and successful rescue operation.
He further disclosed that seven suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident and called for intensified efforts to flush out criminal elements hiding in ungoverned areas.
The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Ifeanyi Emenari, also confirmed that the rescue operation was achieved through coordinated efforts between security agencies and local communities.
The students were among 18 passengers abducted by armed men last Wednesday night while travelling to Otukpo, where their UTME examinations were scheduled to take place.
