The Benue State Police Command has detained seven individuals in connection with the purported kidnapping of several passengers in Otukpo on April 15.
DSP Edet Udeme, the Command’s spokeswoman, confirmed the development in a statement distributed to journalists in Makurdi on Saturday.
Udeme stated that the arrests were made as part of a concerted, combined security operation including the police and other security services, as well as a focused search-and-rescue action in Amla Forest and surrounding areas.
She stated that the operation also resulted in the rescue of some of the victims, who are currently receiving medical attention, although she did not specify how many were rescued.
“Further intelligence gathered in the course of the operation led to the arrest of seven suspects, who are currently in police custody while the investigation is ongoing.
“The Command also wishes to clarify misinformation circulating in some news media suggesting that the victims were part of a convoy conveying students to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
“The command states that this claim is incorrect, as the victims were not confirmed to be part of any organized UTME-bound student convoy but passengers in a Makurdi-bound bus,” the statement read.
According to Udeme, the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, has assured residents that the command is working with other security agencies to rescue the remaining victims.
She also encouraged the public to provide credible and timely information to aid ongoing operations.
