The Benue State Police Command has launched a full-scale manhunt for armed abductors who seized 12 persons—11 passengers and a driver—from a Benue Links transport bus on Sunday evening along the Otukpo–Otukpa–Enugu highway.
The police confirmed on Monday that drones and tactical ground teams have been deployed to track and rescue the victims, who were reportedly kidnapped around Eke Elengbecho in Okpokwu Local Government Area.
The victims were traveling from Abeokuta, Ogun State, en route to Makurdi, when gunmen ambushed their bus around 6:30 p.m. on June 22, 2025. Eyewitnesses say the attackers intercepted the vehicle, robbed the passengers of their belongings, and forcibly marched them into the bush.
In a statement released in Makurdi on Monday, Benue Links Transport Company confirmed the attack. The company’s Information Officer, Johnson Daniel, noted that one of the abducted passengers managed to escape and report the incident to the police in Eke.
“The vehicle, with registration number 14B – 143BN, was found abandoned by the roadside with some passengers’ luggage intact, but the driver and 11 passengers were missing,” the statement read.
Spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, SP Udeme Edet, confirmed the abduction and rescue of one victim identified as Mr. Paul Terna, who escaped during the ordeal.
“Following the report, police tactical units, supported by the military and Benue State Community Protection Guards, immediately combed the surrounding bushes. One escapee has been rescued. Reinforcements and drone surveillance have been deployed to aid in locating the remaining victims,” Edet said.
Providing an update later Monday evening, Edet added that Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, had personally relocated to the affected area to oversee ongoing operations.
“There is no further update yet, but the CP is on ground, and aerial surveillance is ongoing with the help of drones,” he confirmed.
When contacted, Lt. Zubair Ahmad, acting spokesperson for Operation Whirl Stroke, acknowledged the incident but said he needed time to confirm details from superior officers.
The Otukpo–Okpokwu–Ogbadibo stretch of the highway has become a hotbed of kidnappings, with at least three separate abduction incidents reported in the past month alone. Security experts and community leaders continue to call for urgent intervention to secure the route, which links Benue to Enugu and the South-East region.
As of the time of filing this report, search and rescue operations remain active, and the public is urged to provide any useful information to aid the authorities.
