ABUJA, Nigeria – A targeted attack on a civilian passenger bus traveling through Nigeria’s Benue State has left multiple university students, who were heading to sit for their final examinations, in captivity after gunmen intercepted the vehicle Thursday, state government officials confirmed. The abduction took place along the busy Otukpo-Makurdi highway, a major transportation route connecting communities across the central state, Governor Hyacinth Alia announced in an official statement released Thursday evening.
While Alia did not release an exact count of abducted individuals, local Nigerian news outlets have reported the bus was carrying 14 passengers total, all of whom were taken by the attackers. In his statement, Governor Alia strongly condemned the act of violence against vulnerable civilians. “The targeting of innocent citizens, particularly students on their way to sit for examinations, is unacceptable and stands against every norm of humanity and civil order,” he said.
Benue State, located in north-central Nigeria, has long been classified as a high-risk zone for armed violence in the country’s northern region. For years, criminal armed gangs operating in the area have routinely targeted isolated rural villagers and passing travelers, carrying out mass killings and large-scale kidnappings to extract ransom payments. No criminal or insurgent group has yet stepped forward to claim responsibility for Thursday’s abduction.
State security forces have already launched active search and rescue missions across the region, with the explicit goal of securing the safe release of all captives, Alia confirmed. The governor called on local residents to remain calm and maintain close cooperation with security agencies throughout the rescue operation and broader counter-insurgency efforts. “We will continue to take decisive actions to protect lives and property,” he added.
Widespread kidnapping of students has become one of the most visible markers of systemic insecurity across Africa’s most populous nation. Security analysts who study criminal violence in Nigeria note that gangs deliberately target students and educational institutions because they view these targets as strategically valuable: attacks on students draw rapid, widespread media and public attention, increasing pressure on authorities and families to pay large ransom payments quickly.