• Benue State kidnapping victims had recounted four days of torture, hunger and movement through forest hideouts after a road attack
• Survivors had said they were beaten, starved and forced to call relatives for ransom while in captivity
• The Nigeria Police Force had confirmed their rescue following coordinated security operations and arrests of suspects

Rescued victims of a recent kidnapping incident in Benue State have narrated their traumatic experience after being held for four days by armed abductors while travelling along the Taraku–Otukpo road.

The victims were among passengers attacked on Wednesday during a raid on a Benue Links vehicle, before being freed on Sunday morning, April following coordinated security operations.

Several of those rescued included candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), alongside other commuters.

UTME candidates describe brutal treatment

Some of the students said they were beaten, starved and forced to endure harsh conditions in the forest.

An 18-year-old victim, Gbenda Daniels, said the attackers took his money and subjected him to physical abuse.

“They collected my N8,000. They beat us, and we didn’t eat anything; we only drank dirty water,” he said.

Another candidate, Ngukulan Iornav, also 18, said their captors provided only minimal food during captivity.

“They gave us garri and salt. I was thoroughly beaten,” she said.

Survivors detail movement through forest hideouts

One of the victims, Orih Raphael Sylvester, a university student, described how they were repeatedly moved deeper into the forest to avoid detection.

He said the group went without food on the first day and survived on unsafe water during the ordeal.

“We were taken into the bush and moved from one place to another. We didn’t eat anything on the first night because we were constantly on the move,” he said.

He added that pressure was mounted on them to contact relatives for ransom payments while they were also assaulted.

“On the third day, they gave us garri and forced us to start calling our families while beating us,” he said.

Sylvester further recounted that they were eventually instructed to move towards a road where security operatives later found them.

Other victims recount injuries and trauma

Sunday Augustine, a university student, said he sustained injuries during the attack.

“They beat me badly and I injured my elbow,” he said.

Another victim, Akor Jessica, described the experience as deeply distressing.

“It was a nightmare. We were on our way to write our exams. They beat me with big sticks and machetes at will, but God saw us through,” she said.

Family members reveal ransom demands

A relative of two of the victims, Ochadgwuba Alexander, said kidnappers demanded large sums of money for each hostage.

“The kidnappers demanded N10 million for each victim,” he said.

He explained that he eventually delivered part of the ransom and supplies before security agencies intervened to secure their release.

Governor calls for support and medical care

Governor Hyacinth Alia received the victims at the Government House in Makurdi, where he confirmed that eight of them were UTME candidates.

He said the victims would undergo medical attention and receive support before reuniting with their families.

“We will support their education and ensure such incidents do not recur,” the governor said.

He also appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to reschedule examinations for the affected students.

The Nigeria Police Force confirmed that the victims were rescued after sustained pressure on the kidnappers, leading to their release in the early hours of Sunday.

Authorities also disclosed that suspects had been arrested in connection with the attack, while investigations continued in collaboration with other security agencies.

JAMB disputes UTME candidate claims

However, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has maintained that the abducted individuals were not UTME candidates, stating that they were participants in a police recruitment exercise returning from Makurdi.

The board said UTME candidates are assigned specific centres and do not travel collectively, casting doubt on earlier claims linking the victims to the examination.

UTME resut: Law aspirant sheds tears

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that a law aspirant who wrote the 2026 UTME has expressed disappointment in herself for scoring below the cutoff mark for her course of choice. The young lady who shed tears over her UTME performance wondered what had become of her preparations and studying.

Undeterred by her UTME score, the student has set her sights on doing well in her WAEC and NECO examinations and vowed to study law in 2026.

Source: Legit.ng