Terrorists have kidnapped 15 travellers along the Utonkon–Okpoga Road in Benue State, killing one person in the attack.
The incident occurred around 7:00 p.m. on Monday, targeting a commercial bus traveling through the Utonkon axis in Ado Local Government Area. The vehicle was en route from Iheijwo market in Oju Local Government Area to destinations in South West Nigeria when it was intercepted by the attackers.
A youth leader in Utonkon district, Jude Onwe, told Channels Television that the gunmen stopped the bus and forced the passengers into the bush. “They collected the passengers’ phones to prevent them from contacting their relatives,” Onwe said. The abandoned bus was later taken to the Utonkon Police Station.
The chairman of Oju Local Government Area, Jackson Ominyi, said 16 people were involved in the incident. Two were killed, and two others were rescued through a coordinated effort with the chairman of Okpokwu LGA. Security agencies are still searching for the remaining passengers.
However, the Benue State Police Command spokesperson, Udeme Edet, clarified that one traveller was killed while 15 were kidnapped. Edet added that the state Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, has deployed a tactical team to pursue the perpetrators.
This attack comes just 48 hours after gunmen stormed Saint John’s Catholic Church in Ojije, Utonkon district, kidnapping nine worshippers during a church vigil. No arrests have been made in that incident.
Benue State has been grappling with a series of violent attacks and kidnappings by non-state actors. Despite ongoing security efforts, residents and travellers remain vulnerable to such assaults.
