Kidnapping in Benue State: Driver Killed, Passengers Abducted

There is something chilling about how quickly a routine journey can turn into terror. Over the weekend, a commercial vehicle packed with passengers was hijacked by suspected kidnappers in Benue State. The attackers killed the driver and abducted everyone on board, leaving families terrified and communities shaken.

The incident took place in Otukpo Local Government Area along the Ogobia–Adoka road. According to local sources, the gunmen ambushed the vehicle and forced it off the road into nearby woods before opening fire on the driver. He was identified as Arrow of God, a resident of the Aila community in Agatu LGA. After the shooting, the passengers were taken away.

This attack comes barely three weeks after another violent incident along the same Ogobia–Adoka road. Two police officers, Inspector Amos Okoh and Inspector Joseph Adowebo, were reportedly assaulted by armed men believed to be robbers while conducting routine patrol duties. That earlier ambush raised concerns about rising insecurity, and this latest attack has intensified those fears.

Residents say the pattern of violence poses a serious threat to public safety. The stretch of road has become a hotspot for kidnapping in Benue State, raising questions about surveillance and patrol gaps. Security experts also point to possible links between highway banditry, local criminal groups, and broader armed violence trends in the region.