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A rescued Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) candidate, Agatha Buter, has shared the terrifying experience she and other passengers endured after armed men attacked their Benue Links bus along the Makurdi-Otukpo highway in Benue State.
The incident occurred last Wednesday as the 18-seater bus travelled from Makurdi to Otukpo. The kidnappers, who were heavily armed, ambushed the vehicle, threatening the passengers with guns and bullets while beating them with cutlasses to force their families to pay a ransom of N10 million.
Agatha revealed that the male victims, particularly the boys among them, suffered the most brutal treatment. “The boys among us suffered the most. They were beaten repeatedly with cutlasses because the kidnappers were pushing for the ransom,” she explained.
During their days in captivity, the victims were given minimal food — garri with salt and sometimes mangoes. On the third day, they had no food at all and were forced to drink unsafe water from the forest. The young JAMB candidate described the entire ordeal as deeply traumatic, saying it felt unreal and left them emotionally shaken.
The hostages were eventually rescued through the intervention of security agencies and support from the Benue State Government. Agatha expressed gratitude to the security operatives and Governor Hyacinth Alia for their efforts, which contributed to their freedom.
The attack has once again highlighted the persistent security challenges on major highways in Benue State, especially affecting students and ordinary travellers. Many of the rescued passengers, including several JAMB candidates, were heading to sit for their examinations when they were abducted.
The survivors are now receiving medical attention and counselling as they attempt to recover from the physical and psychological scars of the incident. The case has drawn renewed calls for improved security on the Makurdi-Otukpo road and other vulnerable routes in the state.
