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By Abdullahi Abubakar
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has debunked claims that those recently kidnapped in Benue State were candidates traveling to sit for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), describing the reports as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by its Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the Board clarified that the victims were not students heading for the examination.
Rather, they were participants in an ongoing police recruitment exercise who had traveled to Makurdi and were returning to Otukpo when they were abducted.
JAMB noted that security agencies have successfully rescued seven of the kidnapped individuals, a development it described as commendable and reassuring.
The Board also expressed hope that efforts would continue until all victims are safely freed.
The examination body lamented the spread of unverified information linking the incident to its UTME schedule, stressing that such assumptions unfairly tarnish the reputation of institutions.
It pointed out that the structure of the UTME makes it unlikely for candidates who know each other to be assigned the same examination centre or travel together in groups, further discrediting the earlier narrative.
According to JAMB, the rush to blame the Board without proper fact-checking reflects a broader issue of misinformation and the need for greater responsibility in public discourse. It urged individuals and media platforms to verify claims before drawing conclusions or assigning blame.
While emphasising that the victims were not UTME candidates, JAMB stressed that the incident remains a grave concern, noting that no Nigerian deserves to fall victim to kidnapping regardless of their purpose of travel.
