15 Passengers Abducted in Fresh Attack Along Benue Highway

Fear and anxiety have gripped residents of Benue State following the abduction of at least 15 passengers by suspected gunmen along the Adoka-Naka Road in Gwer West Local Government Area.

The attack, which occurred on Thursday, targeted two commercial vehicles travelling in opposite directions. Yakubu Onu, Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for the High Level Unit in Makurdi, confirmed the incident to Channels Television.

According to Onu, the first vehicle, carrying nine passengers from High Level Motor Park in Makurdi and heading towards Lokoja via the Naka-Adoka route, was intercepted by the gunmen. Six of the passengers were forcefully taken into the bush, while three managed to escape.

The second vehicle, en route to Makurdi from Ankpa in Kogi State, was similarly ambushed. All eight passengers on board were reportedly abducted at the same spot, just a few kilometres from Naka town.

“The driver and three passengers who were left behind went to report the incident at the Naka police station,” Onu said. “They were advised to proceed with their journey, but we haven’t heard from them since. We are still trying to gather more details, especially from those who departed from Ankpa.”

Daniel Abomtse, the Ter Tyoshin of Gwer West, confirmed the attack, stating that it occurred just three kilometres from Naka town. He identified the two hijacked vehicles as a Picnic bus and a Sharon bus, adding that the police later released the few passengers who were not kidnapped.

When contacted, Sewuese Anene, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, told TheCable that she had not yet received a formal briefing on the incident.

The abduction comes amid a troubling spike in violence across Benue. In the past two weeks alone, over 200 lives have reportedly been lost in a wave of brutal attacks.

Governor Hyacinth Alia recently described the perpetrators as “foreign elements” speaking strange languages, suggesting that the threat may be more severe than the long-standing farmer-herder clashes that have plagued the region.

“The scale of destruction is devastating,” the governor noted, referencing homes burned, properties destroyed, and numerous residents injured.

Earlier this week, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu described the situation as a “national tragedy” and assured the public that the federal government is determined to restore peace and security in Benue State.