At least 14 passengers have been abducted by gunmen along the Makurdi/Naka/Adoka road in Benue State, in a brazen daylight attack that occurred between 10 and 11 a.m. on Thursday.
The incident happened about three kilometres from Naka, the headquarters of Gwer West Local Government Area. According to eyewitnesses and transport union officials, the victims were travelling in two commercial vehicles — a Toyota Picnic and a Sharon bus — when they were ambushed.
A commercial driver who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that both vehicles were carrying passengers when they ran into the gunmen. The secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), High-Level Unit in Makurdi, Yakubu Onu, confirmed that the buses involved belong to union members at the High-Level Motor Park in Makurdi.
He explained that one of the vehicles, heading to Lokoja, was attacked and six of its nine passengers were taken into the bush. The second vehicle, coming from Ankpa in Kogi State to Makurdi, was also ambushed at the same location, and eight passengers were abducted.
“Three passengers from the vehicle going to Lokoja were spared,” Onu said. “The driver, along with them, went to report the incident at the Naka police station but we have not been able to reach him since.”
The traditional ruler of Naka, His Royal Highness Daniel Abomtse, also confirmed the attack. He noted that an elderly woman, a breastfeeding mother, some children, and the driver were spared during the abduction. He described the incident as occurring in Okpa, a border area between Gwer West and Adoka, plagued by ungoverned spaces that have become havens for criminals.
“We are appealing to the Federal Government to conduct aerial surveillance over these ungoverned areas across Benue and Nasarawa states,” the monarch urged.
When contacted, the Benue State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, a Chief Superintendent of Police, stated via text message: “I don’t have this report.”
As of now, there has been no word on the fate of the abducted passengers or whether any group has claimed responsibility. Security forces have yet to issue an official update on rescue efforts.
