The Benue State Police Command has launched a rescue operation involving drones and tactical teams to locate 11 passengers and a driver abducted on Sunday evening along the Otukpo-Otukpa-Enugu highway in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state.
The victims, travelling in a Benue Links bus, were kidnapped at Eke Elengbecho around 6:30 pm by suspected gunmen who intercepted the vehicle, robbed the passengers of their belongings, and led them into the surrounding bush. The vehicle had departed Abeokuta, Ogun State, en route to Makurdi, before the attack occurred.
According to a statement from the management of Benue Links, issued by its Information Officer, Johnson Daniel, there were 12 passengers and the driver on board at the time of the incident. The bus, bearing registration number 14B – 143BN, was later found abandoned at Eke with some luggage left behind. One passenger managed to escape and reported the incident at the Eke Police Station.
The company condemned the attack and assured the public of its collaboration with security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted victims.
Confirming the incident, the state police spokesperson, SP Udeme Edet, said combined security teams — including police tactical squads, military personnel, and members of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guard — were immediately deployed to comb the area. The only escapee, identified as Paul Terna, was rescued during the initial operation.
Edet added that reinforcements, including drone surveillance, had been deployed, and the state Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, had personally relocated to the area to oversee the rescue efforts.
Efforts to get comments from Operation Whirl Stroke were unsuccessful, as the acting spokesperson, Lt. Zubair Ahmad, stated he was indisposed and needed time to consult with his superiors.
The Otukpo-Enugu highway, particularly around the Ogbadibo/Okpokwu axis, has gained notoriety for repeated abductions. In just one month, the area has recorded at least three separate kidnapping incidents.
ADEOLA KUNLE
