The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that individuals abducted along the Makurdi–Otukpo route in Benue State were not candidates scheduled to sit for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), countering earlier reports that linked the victims to the ongoing exam.
In a statement issued by its Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, the board said investigations confirmed that the abducted persons were participants in an ongoing police recruitment exercise, not UTME candidates. According to JAMB, the victims had travelled to Makurdi and were returning to Otukpo when the incident occurred.
The examination body expressed concern over the rapid spread of what it described as unverified and misleading claims, noting that some reports had wrongly attributed the incident to its examination logistics.
“It is regrettable that government institutions, particularly JAMB, are often unfairly maligned in situations like this without proper verification,” the statement said.
JAMB added that the earlier narrative lacked credibility, explaining that UTME candidates are typically assigned to different examination centres and do not usually travel in groups to sit for the exam.
The board called on those who circulated the misinformation to issue corrections, stressing the importance of responsible communication, especially on matters involving public institutions.
While distancing itself from the incident, JAMB emphasised that the security of all Nigerians remains paramount, noting that no individual deserves to be subjected to kidnapping under any circumstance.
The board also urged the public to verify information before sharing, warning against drawing premature conclusions that could misinform the public and damage institutional reputations.
Meanwhile, JAMB announced the release of results for 632,788 candidates who participated in the UTME on April 16, 2026. Candidates can check their results by sending “UTMERESULT” via SMS to 55019 or 66019 using the phone numbers used during registration.
“At this stage, candidates may only view their results; printing will be made available later,” the board stated.
The 2026 UTME commenced on April 16 and is scheduled to run until April 22 at accredited centres nationwide. JAMB noted that additional batches of results would be released as the examination progresses.
