Suspected bandits have struck again on the notorious Naka–Makurdi road in Benue State, abducting at least six travellers in the early hours of Tuesday near Kula Village, a community on the outskirts of the state capital, Makurdi.
The victims, three males and three females, were part of a group of seven passengers who had set out from Ankpa, Kogi State, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
A relative of one of the victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the travellers originally departed Ilorin on Monday but were forced to stop overnight in Ankpa owing to fears over the security situation along the route.
“They left Ankpa early Tuesday morning. About 20 minutes from Makurdi, their vehicle was intercepted at Kula Village,” the source said.
“One of the passengers managed to escape, but the remaining six were whisked away by the kidnappers.”
The source further disclosed that the abductors had demanded a ransom of N100 million for the release of the victims.
The Chairman of Gwer West Local Government, Omnin Torsar, confirmed the incident, noting that the attack occurred around 5:00 a.m. while the travellers were moving in a convoy.
“They ran into bandits near Kula, and some were abducted. The incident happened close to Makurdi along the Naka–Makurdi road,” Torsar said, though he noted he had yet to ascertain the exact number of victims at the time.
The Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, said she had not yet received an official report on the incident when contacted.