The Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to reschedule the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for candidates affected by a recent kidnapping incident in the state.
The appeal follows the rescue of victims abducted along the Makurdi-Otukpo road, an incident that has drawn attention to the intersection of insecurity and access to education in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Government House in Makurdi, Alia disclosed that 15 passengers were kidnapped during the attack, with some managing to escape before the remaining victims were eventually rescued by troops of the Nigerian Army with support from local communities.
Among those affected, the governor said eight were prospective UTME candidates who may have missed their examination due to the incident.
“I call on JAMB to look into the case of the eight young students and reschedule dates for them to write their examination,” he said.
Conflicting Claims Over Victims’ Status
However, the situation has been complicated by conflicting reports from authorities.
The Benue State Police Command and JAMB have both stated that the abducted individuals were not UTME candidates, but rather participants in a police recruitment exercise who were returning to Otukpo at the time of the attack.
JAMB’s Public Communications Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, described earlier reports linking the victims to the UTME as misinformation.
Education Disrupted by Insecurity
Despite the discrepancies, the governor’s request underscores growing concerns about how insecurity continues to disrupt educational pathways in Nigeria.
Incidents of abduction, particularly along major transit routes, have increasingly affected students travelling for examinations, admissions, and academic activities.
Education stakeholders warn that such disruptions could undermine access to higher education, especially for candidates in vulnerable regions.
Broader Implications
The development raises critical questions about contingency planning within Nigeria’s examination system, particularly in cases where candidates are unable to sit for exams due to security challenges.
While JAMB has mechanisms for handling exceptional cases, it remains unclear whether the current situation will warrant a rescheduling, especially amid conflicting accounts regarding the victims’ status.
As authorities clarify the circumstances, attention will be on how examination bodies balance fairness, security realities, and the integrity of the testing process.
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