At least 14 travellers have been abducted by suspected gunmen along the Utonkon–Okpoga Road in Benue State after a commercial bus was attacked.
The incident occurred along the stretch of road linking Ado and Okpokwu Local Government Areas, according to eyewitness.
The victims were passengers travelling from Oju and Obi Local Government Areas to destinations in the western part of the country when the bus was intercepted by armed assailants.
An eyewitness, Comrade Jude Onwe, a youth leader in the Utonkon community, said the bus was conveying 16 Igede-speaking passengers who had departed Iheijwo Market in Oju LGA.
“The incident happened when the commercial bus was heading towards Okpoga in Okpokwu Local Government Area,” Onwe said.
He explained that the attackers struck after the vehicle passed through the Utonkon–Ojapo/Okpoga axis in Ado LGA.
“The gunmen stopped the vehicle and forcefully took 15 passengers into the bush. When the driver initially refused to stop, one person was shot dead,” he added.
Onwe further disclosed that the assailants seized the victims’ mobile phones to prevent them from contacting their relatives.
“The gunmen collected the passengers’ phones to stop them from calling for help,” he said, noting that the abandoned bus was later recovered and moved to the Utonkon Police Station.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command has confirmed the incident, stating that 14 passengers were abducted during the attack.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, said security operatives have launched an investigation and manhunt for the perpetrators.
“Concerning the abduction of passengers on the Okpokwu road, it is true that it happened. Investigation into the incident is ongoing, and we are on top of the situation,” Edet said.
The attack adds to growing concerns over insecurity and frequent kidnappings along major highways in Benue State, particularly routes connecting rural communities to other parts of the country.
