Fresh Kidnap Attack Rocks Benue Highway, Three Abducted, Driver Shot

Armed men have kidnapped three travellers and shot a driver during an attack on a vehicle along the Otukpo-Oglewu axis in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attack reportedly occurred at about 9:25pm on Saturday at Ijami village, Oglewu, involving seven persons travelling from Enugu to Abuja.

The incident came barely days after gunmen attacked another vehicle along the same route, abducting a man and five of his friends who were conveying the remains of his late wife from Kano to neighbouring Okpokwu Local Government Area for burial.

During the previous attack, the kidnappers reportedly abandoned the woman’s corpse on the highway before taking her husband and his friends into the forest. They were later released after a ransom was paid.

Recounting Saturday’s incident, an eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victims were attacked shortly after passing Otukpo while travelling towards Abuja.

He said, “They were coming from Enugu and heading to Abuja on Saturday. At about 9:25pm, they got to a place called Ijami after Otukpo, under Oglewu. They were seven persons in the vehicle. The vehicle was attacked and the driver was shot.

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“He is in critical condition and currently receiving treatment in a hospital. Three of the passengers were taken into the forest by the armed men, while three of the passengers managed to escape. They have been seen and are in safe condition.”

Expressing concern over the repeated attacks along the route, the eyewitness advised motorists to avoid travelling at night, blaming the poor condition of some roads for making it easier for criminals to intercept vehicles.

“We will continue to appeal to people to avoid these routes when night falls. Some of these roads are in deplorable condition, which makes it easy for the criminals to stop the vehicles and take away their victims.

“We appeal that wherever you are coming from, pass the night in Otukpo and continue your trip the next day and be safe, rather than end up in the hands of armed men who will subject your family to unimaginable trauma to raise ransom money,” he said.

Efforts to reach the Chairman of Ohimini Local Government Area, Gabriel Adole, for comments were unsuccessful, as he did not answer calls to his telephone.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, confirmed the attack.

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He said seven persons were involved in the incident, adding that three passengers escaped, three were abducted, while the driver sustained gunshot injuries.

“The victims were seven in number, three were rescued while three others are with the kidnappers. The driver was shot and he is receiving treatment at Teaching Hospital, Otukpo.

“While efforts are on to secure the release of the other three, we urge the commuters to avoid night travels. Whenever it is night, look for somewhere and pass the night. The Commissioner had issued that advice and we expect that people, for their own safety, desist from night travels,” he said.

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