Gunmen abduct 12 Benue Links passengers

Gunmen have again kidnapped 12 passengers on board a commercial bus belonging to the Benue State government, popularly known as Benue Links, along the Eke axis of Okpokwu Local Government Area. Our correspondent reports that the latest attack on the transport company marks the fourth incident within two months. Witnesses said the Benue Links bus, […]

Gunmen have again kidnapped 12 passengers on board a commercial bus belonging to the Benue State government, popularly known as Benue Links, along the Eke axis of Okpokwu Local Government Area.

Our correspondent reports that the latest attack on the transport company marks the fourth incident within two months.

Witnesses said the Benue Links bus, with registration number 14B-143BN, was hijacked on Sunday evening and the passengers were reportedly robbed before being abducted to an unknown destination.

“The incident happened around 6:30 pm,” a witness simply identified as Vincent said.

The witness further said that soldiers and policemen were alerted and deployed to the location to initiate rescue efforts, while local youths and vigilante groups from the three villages around Eke took up surveillance and combed the surrounding bushes in search of the kidnapped victims.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Benue Links Transport Company, Ehi Johnson, confirmed that the company’s bus was attacked on Sunday around 6:30 pm while returning to Makurdi with passengers from Abeokuta in Ogun State.

Ehi stated, “Benue Links Nigeria Limited regrets to inform the public of an unfortunate incident involving one of her buses, with Registration Number 14B-143BN, which was attacked while en route to Makurdi from Abeokuta. The attack occurred at about 6:30 pm on Sunday, 22nd June 2025, at Eke Elengbecho, in Okpokwu Local Government Area, Benue State.

“The vehicle, which departed Abeokuta with 12 passengers and the driver, was later discovered by the roadside at Eke with some of the passengers’ luggage; however, the driver and 11 passengers were missing. One passenger managed to escape and reach the Eke Police Station and reported that the bus was ambushed by armed kidnappers.

“Benue Links Nigeria Limited strongly condemns the attack on her vehicle and passengers by criminal elements. We stand in solidarity with the families and loved ones of those affected, and we assure the public that we are actively collaborating with security agencies, who are working diligently to secure the safe return of the abducted passengers and the driver.

“We commend the swift response of law enforcement agencies and express confidence in their ongoing efforts to bring this distressing situation to a safe and prompt resolution.”

Spokesperson for the Benue Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the incident, saying that one of the victims has been rescued while efforts were ongoing to trace the whereabouts of the remaining victims.

“We are investigating a suspected kidnapping where a Hummer boss with reg number 14B-43BN, parked by the road in Ugbokolo. On receipt of the information, police tactical teams, military and Benue State Protection Guard arrived at the scene. They combed the bush and rescued one Paul Terna, who escaped from the hands of the suspected kidnappers.

“Additional reinforcement has been sent to the location to locate other passengers as soon as possible,” Edet stated.

 

Timeline:

In the past two months, specifically between April and June this year, the latest attack on a Benue Links vehicle is the fourth recorded within the state.

Travellers alleged that there have been other unreported kidnapping incidents involving the company’s vehicles in different parts of the country.

For instance, on May 31, 2025, gunmen hijacked a Benue Links bus along the Owukpa–Orokam Road in Ogbadibo LGA of the state, abducting 10 passengers, including the driver. Similarly, another incident was recorded on the Naka–Makurdi Road in April this year.

The first of the four incidents occurred on April 3 in Ikobi, Otukpo LGA, where a Benue Links driver and two passengers were killed, and 14 others abducted.

 

Residents, passengers speak

Some residents of the state have expressed worries that Benue Links has become a major target of kidnappers, especially along the corridors of Otukpo – Enugu Road, stressing the need for communal collaboration with communities around the route to fight the trend and other current insecurity bedeviling the state.

Faith Adanu, a regular traveller with Benue Links, said whenever their vehicle en route Lagos to Makurdi, passengers would get apprehensive when they approached the Orokam community in Benue because of the activities of local bandits and armed herders who hijacked commercial buses and kidnapped people at will.

“It’s beyond just the kidnapping of travellers on Otukpo – Enugu and Naka – Makurdi routes, the communities along the area should complement conventional security operatives to nip the trend in the bud, whether they are kidnappers or armed invaders,” Adanu said.

Similarly, a former Benue State Commissioner and President of the Apa Legacy and Sustainability Initiatives, Dr. David Olofu, has charged the youths of Otukpo not to despair but to stand firm in the defence of their ancestral land.

Olofu spoke during a condolence visit to the Otobi community in Otukpo LGA, where armed invaders had wreaked havoc on both roads and homes of the people in recent times.

He called for unity among the people and urged security agencies to intensify efforts in protecting vulnerable communities across Benue State.

“I am pained that we were attacked without provocation. People were needlessly killed. The lives lost cannot be replaced. That is why we must do all within the bounds of the law to protect ourselves from these ferocious marauders,” he said.

He emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to stem the tide of insecurity, noting that disunity will only embolden the attackers.

“We must team up and work together in unity to resolve these attacks on our land,” he added.

Olofu decried the growing insecurity in Benue, especially in Idoma land, lamenting its effect on the productivity and wellbeing of rural dwellers, just as he appealed to both the state and federal governments to urgently reinforce security in affected communities and provide relief to victims.

 

Benue Links management efforts to protect passengers

The company’s Information Officer, Ehi Johnson, told our correspondent that the incidents, though a security issue, have prompted management to take certain decisions in order to protect the lives of its passengers whenever on transit.

Ehi listed part of the decision to include closure of certain routes, such as the Naka – Makurdi road within the state, and others, which he didn’t mention.

He said drivers are also directed to adhere strictly to instructions by not exceeding between 6 pm and 6:30 pm on Otukpo routes, while the company’s vehicles stop loading passengers anywhere within the state at exactly 3 pm.

“These measures are meant to avoid our drivers traveling under the cover of darkness. We are having meetings to review and evolve our strategies. Presently, we are mulling the idea of a security escort,” Johnson posited.

 

Security experts suggest solutions

 

A retired senior officer of the Department of State Services (DSS), Orgem Angulum, has advised the state-owned transport company to be proactive rather than reactive, noting that the latest incident is not the first of its kind.

“Security should be proactive by partnering with various communities along the route to safeguard not just travellers but also residents in the area. These incidents have been recurring, so the involvement of local vigilantes and youths in the area cannot be overemphasised.

“Local security should complement the conventional security outfits in pursuing the criminals. They should comb the surrounding bushes and drive the attackers away from the area entirely. If this is not done, the bandits could even start kidnapping women going to their farms,” Angulum warned.

Similarly, Clinton Agada, a Makurdi-based security expert, has urged authorities to adopt proactive measures to curb the frequent hijackings of Benue Links buses and the abduction of passengers, as he recommended increased police presence and the deployment of security forces along vulnerable routes like the Otukpo–Otukpa Road and the Enugu–Ugbokolo–Otukpo Highway.

He also advocated the use of CCTV surveillance, improved intelligence sharing, and thorough security assessments of commonly used routes, adding that to further safeguard passengers, the company should implement convoy systems, secure checkpoints and provide armed escorts for buses.

Agada also proposed placing security personnel onboard, conducting safety briefings for passengers, and equipping buses with GPS tracking and emergency response plans, stressing that regular updates to these protocols are crucial to staying ahead of evolving threats.