Police arrest Benue Links driver over UTME candidates’ abduction

The management of Benue Links Nigeria Limited says one of its drivers has been arrested following an attack on a company bus that led to the abduction of several passengers, including candidates travelling for the 2026 UTME.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at Ikobi in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, where suspected gunmen intercepted the 18-seater commercial vehicle.

In a statement, the company’s information officer, Ehi Daniel, said the journey violated standing operational rules, which prohibit drivers from travelling beyond 6:00 p.m. due to security concerns.

According to him, the driver embarked on the trip without authorisation, removed the vehicle from the company’s premises, picked up passengers, and set out without proper documentation or clearance.

“The trip was unauthorised and conducted in clear violation of the company’s operational guidelines,” the statement said, noting that the breach put passengers at risk.

Driver in custody, investigations ongoing

The company confirmed that the driver is currently in police custody, while investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the attack.

Because the journey was not officially logged, the company said it does not yet have complete details of all passengers onboard, although initial information suggests that many were candidates heading to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The General Manager, Alexander Fanafa, expressed sympathy to the families of the affected passengers and assured them that the company is working with security agencies to support efforts to secure their release.

The incident adds to growing concerns about insecurity on inter-state routes, particularly as thousands of candidates travel across the country for nationwide examinations.

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