Gunmen have abducted at least 14 passengers, many of them are candidates sitting for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), along the Makurdi-Otukpo road in Benue State.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night, April 15, 2026, when the victims were travelling in a Benue Links commercial bus from Makurdi to Otukpo.

Most of the passengers were young boys and girls heading to Otukpo to write their JAMB exams scheduled for Thursday, April 16.

The bus (an 18-seater) was ambushed around 7–8 p.m. near Otukpo. Gunmen stopped the vehicle, robbed the passengers, and marched most of them into a nearby forest.

Two people, the driver and one passenger managed to escape, meanwhile the Benue State Police Command confirmed that 14 passengers were abducted, while one additional victim escaped in some accounts.

The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area and security operatives have launched rescue operations in the surrounding forests. This section of the Makurdi-Otukpo road has experienced repeated attacks by gunmen in recent months, raising serious concerns about commuter safety during the examination period.

Police and local authorities are actively working to rescue the victims. No demands from the kidnappers or further updates on the students’ condition were available as of April 16, 2026.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, has recorded major successes in its fight against smuggling, intercepting contraband goods valued at over ₦98.3 million.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller M.A. Tako, made this known during a press conference held at the Customs House in Yola.

He said the seizures were made within six weeks through intelligence-driven operations across Adamawa and Taraba States.

Items intercepted include large quantities of petroleum products, second-hand clothing, donkey skins and meat, as well as unregistered pharmaceutical products.

According to the Controller, on February 26, operatives seized 43 jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing, alongside cartons and packages of Viagra tablets along the Savannah–Numan axis.

In another operation on March 12, officers intercepted 509 raw donkey skins and 460 kilograms of dried donkey meat along the Mubi–Sangere route.

The Command also recorded multiple seizures of Premium Motor Spirit and Automotive Gas Oil across major smuggling routes, including Likitaba–Gembu, Mubi–Sahuda, Mahia–Belel, and Toungo–Ganye axes.

In total, 1,288 jerry cans and three drums of PMS, estimated at about 32,860 litres, as well as 2,800 litres of AGO, were confiscated.

Comptroller Tako emphasized that the operations were carried out in line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, aimed at preventing illegal trade and safeguarding the nation’s economy.

He warned that smuggling of petroleum products, wildlife items, and unregistered drugs poses serious threats to national security, public health, and economic stability.

The Controller also urged smugglers to abandon illegal activities and engage in legitimate business.

He commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his leadership, and appreciated the support of other security agencies and the media.

The Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the crackdown on smuggling and ensuring compliance with trade regulations.

Troops of 33 Artillery Brigade under Operation WUTAN DAJI have recorded a significant operational success following a coordinated clearance operation in Kumbodoro Forest and Kumbodoro Village in Bauchi State.

The offensive offensive operation dealt a major setback to bandit networks operating within the area. Troops successfully cleared multiple bandit enclaves, including the notorious Azuge camps within the Kumbodoro Forest axis.

Supported by the Air Component, the troops neutralised several bandits and dismantled key operational bases, further degrading the criminals’ capability to threaten lives and property of citizens.

The operation led to rescue of eight kidnapped victims. A thorough search of the bandits enclave led to the recovery of cache of arms and equipment, including 4 skeletal rifles, 4 dane guns, one FN rifle magazine, one AK-47 magazine, as well as communication devices and other operational items.

Other recovered items include 2 pairs of boots, 3 helmets, one power bank, one StarTimes decoder, QJC meta links, one jackknife, 6 mobile handsets, arrows, radio chargers, OPAY ATM cards, photographs, an identity card, several pairs of security agency uniforms and leg chains.

Relatedly, troops deployed at Duguri while acting on credible intelligence, recovered 36 cows at Mushen Kura Village in collaboration with local vigilantes.

The livestock are believed to have been abandoned by fleeing bandits due to sustained military pressure. Efforts are ongoing to identify and return the animals to their rightful owners.

The Nigerian Army remains resolute in its mission to restore peace and stability across all theatres of operation, leveraging intelligence-driven operations, joint force synergy and strategic partnerships to deny bandits and terrorists any safe haven.