The management of Benue Links Nigeria Limited has confirmed that its driver violated operational guidelines by embarking on an unauthorised night journey that resulted in the abduction of passengers, many believed to be candidates of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night along the Makurdi–Otukpo route, specifically at Ikobi area in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.

In a statement by the company’s Information Officer, Ehi Daniel, the driver was said to have removed the vehicle from the premises without approval, picked up passengers, and commenced the trip in defiance of a standing directive prohibiting journeys beyond 6 p.m. due to security concerns.

The vehicle, an 18-seater bus, came under attack by suspected armed assailants during the trip. While the driver and a few passengers escaped, 15 passengers were initially abducted. Two of the victims have since regained freedom, leaving 13 still in captivity.

The company stated that the unauthorised nature of the trip meant it was not officially documented, limiting available passenger records.

General Manager of the company, Alexander Fanafa, described the incident as distressing and expressed sympathy with affected families, adding that the company is collaborating with security agencies to secure the release of the remaining victims.

The Benue State Police Command confirmed that the driver is in custody. According to the command’s spokesperson, Udeme Edet, tactical teams, including anti-kidnapping units, have been deployed to track down the perpetrators and rescue those still held.