By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Campaign for Equal Rights and Opportunities for all Nigerians (CERON) has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to issue a public apology to Nigerians, parents, and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates who were recently kidnapped in Benue State.

Eight UTME candidates were among 18 passengers abducted by suspected armed herdsmen along the Makurdi-Otukpo road on April 15, 2026 while travelling to Otukpo to sit for the entrance examination.

Despite the incident, JAMB had, while the victims were still in captivity, issued a statement denying that any of its candidates were among those kidnapped.

Reacting to the development, CERON’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Francis Odiir, described JAMB’s response as insensitive and unacceptable, insisting that the board owes the victims and the nation an apology.

According to him, “the way and manner JAMB handled that unfortunate incident is completely wrong and deeply unfair to the kidnapped candidates and their parents.

“While our children were still in captivity, JAMB released a statement that showed no sympathy, no concern, and no support for either the victims or their families.”
He added.

According to him “It was shocking and quite outrageous that the Board categorically claimed that none of the kidnapped persons were UTME candidates. One is left wondering how they arrived at such a conclusion without proper verification.”

Odiir further noted that JAMB’s initial denial worsened the emotional trauma of the affected families, who were already grappling with uncertainty and fear.

“This was not just a misstatement, it was a national embarrassment. It compounded the pain and distress of families who were already in anguish over the fate of their loved ones. There appeared to be no consideration whatsoever for the psychological state of those families,” he said.

He pointed out that subsequent confirmations revealed that eight of the abducted individuals were indeed registered UTME candidates, contradicting JAMB’s earlier position.

“At the end of the day, the truth emerged, eight confirmed UTME candidates were among those kidnapped. This clearly contradicts JAMB’s earlier claim and raises serious questions about the Board’s communication process in times of crisis,” Odiir stated.

The CERON Executive Secretary stressed that accountability must be upheld, urging JAMB to publicly acknowledge its error.

“In light of this, JAMB owes Nigerians, the affected candidates, and their parents a sincere public apology. Anything short of that would be unacceptable. If the Board fails to do the needful, the Federal Government should consider taking appropriate punitive measures against its management,” he added.