Makurdi (Nigeria): On Sunday, relief swept through Benue State as 15 kidnap victims, including eight students getting ready for the important Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams, were freed after spending days in captivity.
The victims were abducted on April 15 along the Taraku to Otukpo road and were rescued unharmed in a coordinated security operation.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, together with Police Commissioner Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed their release at Government House in Makurdi, calling the rescue “a victory for peace and steadfastness in Benue.”
For the eight students, the ordeal was more than just a close call. It was a direct threat to their future.
Since their exams were disrupted, Governor Alia asked JAMB to make special arrangements so they would not miss their chance to take the test. “Education must not be a casualty of crime,” he said, promising free medical care and academic support for all victims.
Police Commissioner Emenari said that eight suspects had been arrested, and credible evidence links seven of them to the abduction and other kidnappings in the area.
He said the rescue was possible because of a joint operation supported by the Inspector-General of Police and the state government.
Although the rescue brings hope, the incident shows how vulnerable ordinary people such as commuters, students, and families are to criminal groups. For young people in Benue, this event is a clear reminder that their efforts to get an education are often threatened by insecurity.
Governor Alia repeated his administration’s zero-tolerance policy, saying, “Benue remains peaceful, and criminal elements will not be tolerated.” Still, for the rescued students, the effects of their captivity may persist even as they prepare to resume their studies.