The victims, who were aboard a Benue Links commercial bus, were kidnapped around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday near Eke Elengbecho in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State. The bus was reportedly en route from Abeokuta, Ogun State, to Makurdi when it was intercepted.
Confirming the incident on Monday, the Information Officer of Benue Links Nigeria Limited, Johnson Daniel, said the attacked vehicle, with registration number 14B – 143BN, had 12 passengers and the driver on board. After the attack, the bus was found abandoned by the roadside with some luggage, while 11 passengers and the driver were missing.
“One passenger managed to escape and reported the incident at the Eke Police Station. He disclosed that the bus was ambushed andthe victims were taken into the bush by armed kidnappers,” Daniel said.
The company condemned the attack and expressed commitment to working with security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted persons.
Spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, SP Udeme Edet, confirmed that a combined team of police tactical squads, military units, and the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards had been deployed to comb the area.
“One of the victims, identified as Paul Terna, was rescued after he escaped from the kidnappers. Reinforcements, including drones, have been deployed, and the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, is personally monitoring the ongoing operation,” Edet said in an update.
Efforts to get further details from Operation Whirl Stroke were unsuccessful as the acting spokesman, Lt. Zubair Ahmad, was yet to provide additional information at press time.
The Ogbadibo/Okpokwu axis of the highway, notorious for kidnappings, has witnessed at least three abduction cases in the past month, raising fresh concerns about the safety of commuters in the area.
