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The management of Benue Links Nigeria Limited has confirmed the arrest of its driver who conveyed passengers, mostly candidates of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), during a trip that ended in a kidnapping incident in Benue State.
The company said the driver breached its operational rules by embarking on the journey without approval, exposing passengers to serious risk.
In a statement issued by its Information Officer, Ehi Daniel, the firm disclosed that the incident occurred on the night of April 15, 2026, at Ikobi area in Otukpo Local Government Area.
“the management of Benue Links Nigeria Limited regrets to confirm an unfortunate security incident involving one of its vehicles, which occurred on the night of Wednesday April 15, 2026 at the Ikobi area in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
“Reports indicate that the vehicle, an 18-seater bus, was conveying passengers, most of whom were candidates scheduled to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination the following day, when it was attacked by armed persons.”
The management explained that the driver and a few passengers escaped during the attack, while 15 others were abducted by the gunmen.
“During the incident, the driver and a few passengers managed to escape, while 15 passengers were reportedly abducted. Two of the abducted passengers subsequently escaped, bringing the number of those currently unaccounted for to 13.”
The company stressed that the trip was unauthorised and violated standing directives on vehicle movement.
“Management wishes to state unequivocally that the said trip was unauthorized and conducted in clear violation of the company’s operational guidelines.
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“There is a standing directive prohibiting all company vehicles from undertaking journeys beyond 6pm due to prevailing security challenges. The driver, acting without the knowledge or approval of management, removed the vehicle from the company’s premises, picked up passengers and embarked on the journey without due documentation or clearance.”
It added that the breach has limited access to full passenger records.
“As a result of this breach of protocol, the trip was not officially recorded and the company currently does not have comprehensive details of the affected passengers, aside from indications that a majority were JAMB candidates.”
The management confirmed that the driver is currently in police custody, with investigations ongoing.
“The driver involved is presently in police custody and investigations are ongoing to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”
The General Manager, Comrade Alexander Fanafa, expressed sympathy to the affected families and assured that efforts are ongoing to secure the victims.
“The company is working closely with relevant security agencies to support ongoing efforts aimed at securing the safe release of the abducted passengers.”
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command confirmed the arrest and said operations have been intensified to rescue those still in captivity.
“the Police is on top of the situation, the Command has already deployed several Tactical Teams including the Anti kidnapping Team, the command management team and other sister agencies to continue to track and rescue the remaining passengers and also arrest other suspects.”
