Gunmen abduct 14 travellers along Benue road

At least 14 passengers were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen on Thursday morning along the Makurdi/Naka/Adoka road in Benue State. The incident took place between 10 and 11 a.m., approximately three kilometers from Naka, the administrative center of Gwer West Local Government Area.

A commercial driver, who spoke anonymously for security reasons, confirmed that the vehicles involved in the abduction were two buses—Picnic and Sharon buses—each carrying 12 passengers.

Yakubu Onu, secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) High-Level Unit in Makurdi, verified the incident. He confirmed that both vehicles belonged to members of the union based at the High-Level Park in Makurdi.

According to Onu, one of the vehicles was traveling from Makurdi to Lokoja when it was ambushed near Naka. The second vehicle, which was heading from Ankpa in Kogi State to Makurdi, was also attacked in the same area.

“The first vehicle was headed to Lokoja with nine passengers on board, and six of them were taken by the gunmen,” Onu said. “The second vehicle, traveling from Ankpa to Makurdi, had eight passengers who were abducted at the same spot near Naka.”

Onu further stated that three passengers from the vehicle heading to Lokoja were left behind. The driver, along with the three passengers, went to report the incident at the Naka police station. However, Onu mentioned that there has been no further communication from the driver since the report was made.

HRH Daniel Abomtse, the traditional ruler of Naka, also confirmed the abductions. He revealed that an elderly woman, a breastfeeding mother, and several children, along with the drivers, were not harmed during the attack.

“The abduction took place at Okpa, near Adoka, which borders Gwer West LGA. This area is known for its ungoverned spaces, which have become safe havens for criminals,” the monarch said, urging the federal government to conduct aerial surveys of the coastal regions of Benue and Nasarawa states.

When contacted for a comment, Catherine Anene, the Chief Superintendent of Police and Public Relations Officer for Benue State Command, responded via text, stating, “I don’t have this report.”

(PUNCH)