Gunmen abduct 16 travellers along Utonkon–Okpoga Road in Benue

At least 16 travellers were abducted by armed gunmen along the Utonkon–Okpoga Road in Benue State on Monday evening, following an attack on a commercial bus ferrying passengers from Oju and Obi Local Government Areas to western Nigeria.

The attack comes barely 24 hours after nine people were kidnapped from a church in Utonkon community, Ado LGA, highlighting a growing spate of insecurity in the area.

Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred around 7pm along the route linking Ado and Okpokwu LGA. Comrade Jude Onwe, a youth leader in Utonkon, told reporters that the bus, carrying 16 Igede-speaking passengers, had departed Iheijwo Market in Oju LGA when the gunmen intercepted it along the Utonkon–Ojapo/Okpoga axis.

According to Onwe, the attackers forced 15 passengers into the bush after the driver initially refused to stop, during which one person was shot dead.

The gunmen also confiscated passengers’ phones to prevent them from contacting relatives. The abandoned bus was later recovered and moved to the Utonkon Police Station.

Confirming the incident, Chairman of Oju LGA, Jackson Ominyi, said 16 persons were involved, with two confirmed dead and two rescued. Ominyi explained that the rescue operation involved joint collaboration with the Okpokwu LGA chairman and noted that security agencies are still searching for the remaining 12 abducted passengers.

Authorities have urged travellers to exercise caution along the Utonkon–Okpoga axis, while ramping up security measures to address the rising threat of kidnappings in the region.

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