Armed men suspected to be herders have demanded N14 million to free 14 individuals kidnapped from a Benue Links vehicle along the Owukpa–Orokam route in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The incident, which occurred around 7 p.m. on Saturday, took place near the Eyiupi community.
The victims, mainly women returning from the Orba market in Enugu State, were en route to Owukpa when their bus was intercepted and all passengers were taken captive.
AFRIPOST reported that in response, angry residents, particularly youths from Owukpa, staged a peaceful protest on Monday.
They blocked the Orokam-Owukpa-Okpoga road, demanding swift intervention by authorities to secure the release of the kidnapped individuals.
One youth leader, speaking to the media voiced deep disappointment with the community’s leadership.
“We have nothing to do. The kidnappers have now demanded N1 million each for our 14 people. We came out for a peaceful protest, but our traditional rulers have sold us out,” he said.
He further stated that the youth had decided to take action into their own hands. “We’re going to repair that bad road ourselves, clear bushes. That’s where these criminals are hiding and attacking people.”
In a disturbing development, some of the protesters alleged that when they approached local police for assistance, they were told the officers lacked the ammunition to confront the kidnappers.
As of the time this report was filed, no official security presence had been dispatched to the area, and the 14 victims remained in captivity.