Troops rescue abducted Benue bus passengers — including UTME candidates

Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have rescued 13 passengers abducted from a Benue Links commercial bus along the Makurdi–Otukpo road.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the victims were among 17 passengers kidnapped last Wednesday while travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo in Benue.

Three of the victims had earlier escaped from captivity.

Zagazola quoted security sources as saying the rescue mission was achieved on Sunday during a sustained search-and-rescue operation in a forest in Okete ward, Ohimini LGA of the state.

Some students travelling for the 2026 unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME) were reportedly part of the abducted victims.

“Security sources further clarified that the perpetrators were local criminal elements in Benue and not Fulani bandits as initially speculated in some quarters. The attack was however, hastily attributed to external groups without proper verification,” the publication said.Thecable