The 15 students from Eminent Scholars Imperial Academy, Onitsha, Anambra State, who were feared missing on their way to write the JAMB examination in Imo State, have been found safe and healthy, according to the Imo State Police Command.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Henry Okoye, confirmed that the students, along with their school proprietor and staff, had safely travelled to Okigwe, Imo State, on May 16 to sit for their rescheduled JAMB exams.
However, while returning to Onitsha, their school bus broke down in Amuro, a remote area in Okigwe where there is poor network coverage. The breakdown caused a communication gap, which led to fears that they had been kidnapped.
Social media posts and public concern quickly spread, prompting swift action from the police and other security agencies.
The statement clarified that “no abduction took place,” and that police officers, working with other security agencies, located the stranded students and safely escorted them to Owerri. They were cared for overnight and resumed their journey the next day, arriving back in Onitsha on May 17 without any harm.
The Imo State Police Command thanked the public for their concern but urged people to avoid spreading unverified news that could cause panic.
This incident comes at a time of heightened anxiety over student safety in the country, especially during national exams like JAMB. The police reassured citizens of their commitment to protecting everyone in the state.
