The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has clarified that the seven kidnap victims recently rescued in Benue State by Nigerian security personnel were not candidates of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
JAMB made the clarification, in a statement issued by its Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, on Saturday, explaining that the said victims were in fact participants in an ongoing police recruitment exercise.
According to the Board they were reportedly abducted while travelling from Makurdi to Otukpo, not en route to any UTME centre as initially alleged.
JAMB commended the swift and efficient response of the nation’s security agencies, noting that the rescue operation has brought significant relief to families and the public.
It also expressed hope for the safe return of the remaining victims still in captivity.
The Board, however, expressed concern over the spread of misinformation that prematurely linked the incident to its examination process.
It described as regrettable the tendency to hastily blame public institutions without proper verification, noting that some narratives even attempted to tie the abduction to JAMB’s examination schedule despite glaring inconsistencies.
According to the statement, the structure of UTME examinations makes it highly unlikely for candidates who know one another to be assigned to the same centre or travel together in groups, further discrediting the earlier claims.
JAMB urged individuals and media platforms that propagated the erroneous reports to issue public apologies for the reputational damage caused to the Board.
It emphasized the need for responsible information dissemination, especially on matters capable of generating public anxiety.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and global best practices, JAMB stated that it would not be deterred by unfounded criticism or attempts to undermine its operations.
While reiterating that the victims were not examination candidates, the Board stressed that the incident underscores a broader concern about insecurity, noting that no Nigerian, regardless of purpose or identity, should be subjected to kidnapping.
It called on citizens to prioritize fact-checking and national unity, urging collective support for institutions working to deliver on their mandates, while expressing hope for continued improvements in Nigeria’s security architecture.