Pirates abduct 20 passengers including UTME candidates in Calabar

• 7 herders arrested for kidnapping UTME candidates in Benue 

• Alia urges JAMB to reschedule exam for rescued candidates

By Peter Duru & Ike Uchechukwu

No fewer than 20 passengers, including candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), were reportedly abducted by sea pirates along the Calabar waterways on Friday.

A naval officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, saying gunmen ambushed a passenger ferry travelling from Calabar in Cross River State to Oron in Akwa Ibom State. He said the pirates struck while the ferry was on the waterway and whisked away the passengers at gunpoint.

Although the exact number of abducted passengers could not be immediately ascertained, it was gathered that many of the victims were candidates going to sit for the JAMB examination in Akwa Ibom State. The Cross River State Police Command neither confirmed nor denied the incident at the time of filing this report, while police spokesperson Sunday Eitokpah said the Akwa Ibom State Command was better positioned to comment on the matter. The incident has heightened fears over the safety of waterways in the region, especially for candidates travelling for national examinations.

 7 suspects nabbed in Benue

In a separate but related development, the Benue State Police Command arrested seven suspected militia herdsmen in connection with last Wednesday’s abduction of passengers, including UTME candidates, aboard an 18-seater Benue Links bus along the Makurdi–Otukpo highway.

The victims, who included candidates en route to Otukpo for their examinations, have all regained their freedom.

Briefing Governor Hyacinth Alia while presenting the rescued passengers in Makurdi, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ifeanyi Emenari, said the victims were freed through a joint operation involving multiple security agencies.

He explained that five of the passengers were earlier released, while the remaining 13 were rescued, yesterday morning.

“With the earlier release of five occupants of the vehicle, the remaining 13 were rescued this  morning (yesterday) unhurt,” Emenari said.

He commended Governor Alia and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) for their support, noting that the deployment of the IGP tactical team helped intensify pressure on the kidnappers.

“That is why we were able to mount pressure on the bandits to ensure the victims’ safe return,” he added.Emenari disclosed that eight suspects were currently in police custody, including seven believed to be directly linked to the crime.

“We already have eight suspects in our custody, and out of this number, seven are suspected herdsmen bandits connected with the crime. Some of the victims have been able to identify them,” he said.

He further revealed that the command had launched special operations across the state to flush out criminal elements from forest hideouts, in line with directives from the Inspector-General of Police and the state government.

Receiving the victims, Governor Hyacinth Alia expressed concern over the rising cases of kidnapping in parts of the state but welcomed the safe return of all 18 passengers.

“Among the victims are eight young people who were heading to Otukpo to write their examinations. On the whole, 18 persons were kidnapped, and I am happy to hear that they have all returned safely. I am also pleased that seven suspected herdsmen bandits have been arrested over the incident,” the governor said.

Alia urged JAMB to consider rescheduling the examinations for the affected candidates to enable them participate.

He assured that the state government would provide necessary support to the victims and reiterated his administration’s zero tolerance for criminal activities.The governor also called on residents to support security agencies with timely and useful information, while directing the Commissioner for Health and Human Services to ensure that the victims receive proper medical evaluation. He added that the government would roll out support packages for the rescued passengers.

Alia urges JAMB to reschedule exam for victims

Meanwhile, Governor Alia has again appealed to JAMB to reschedule the examination for eight candidates of the UTME who were kidnapped last Wednesday.

The victims were abducted along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Benue State.

Troops of the Nigerian Army later rescued the remaining victims from a forest in Okere Ward, Ohimini Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking at the Government House in Makurdi, Governor Alia said 15 persons were initially kidnapped during the attack, but two of them later escaped.

The governor had earlier confirmed the rescue of the remaining victims in the early hours of Sunday.

“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 escaped the following day,” Alia was quoted as saying.

“Today, all the remaining 13 kidnap victims were rescued by security agents with the cooperation of the communities.

“I call on JAMB to look into the case of the eight young students and reschedule dates for them to write their examination.”

Recall that the Benue State Police Command had on Friday stated that the abducted passengers in the Makurdi-bound commercial bus were not UTME candidates.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, described reports identifying the victims as UTME candidates as “misinformation and incorrect.”

Similarly, on Saturday, JAMB clarified that the abducted travellers were not UTME candidates. The board’s Public Communications Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, said the victims were en route to Makurdi for an ongoing police recruitment exercise and were returning to Otukpo when the incident occurred.

 How victims were rescued

Meanwhile, details have emerged on how the abducted passengers regained their freedom.

The victims, who were kidnapped by armed men along the Makurdi–Otukpo road, were released in the early hours of Sunday after spending about three days in captivity.

It was gathered that eight of the freed passengers were initially believed to be UTME candidates travelling to Otukpo for the examination. However, both the Benue State Police Command and JAMB later clarified that the victims were not UTME candidates but were travelling in connection with an ongoing police recruitment exercise.

JAMB’s Public Communications Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, said the travellers were heading to Makurdi for the recruitment exercise and were returning to Otukpo when they were attacked. Following their rescue, the victims were evacuated for medical attention and are currently receiving treatment at the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Otukpo.

Governor Alia, who confirmed their release in Makurdi, said security operatives, in collaboration with local communities, successfully rescued the victims from a forest in Okere Ward, Ohimini Local Government Area. He said 15 persons were initially kidnapped, adding that two escaped during the ordeal.

“Many of the students were travelling to Otukpo. Seven were regular passengers, and 15 were kidnapped that fateful day. One escaped the same day, and another escaped the following day. Today, all the remaining 13 victims were rescued by security agents with the cooperation of the communities,” he said.

He commended the rescue operation and called for continued vigilance in the area, while reiterating his appeal to JAMB to reschedule examinations for any confirmed candidates affected by the incident.

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