Benue Gunmen Attack: One Killed, 15 Travellers Kidnapped Along Utonkon–Okpoga Road

Gunmen have killed one person and abducted 15 travellers along the Utonkon–Okpoga Road in Benue State, in another incident highlighting rising insecurity in the North-Central region.

The attack occurred around 7pm on Monday in the Utonkon axis of Ado Local Government Area. The victims were travelling in a commercial bus en route from Iheijwo Market in Oju LGA to destinations in South-West Nigeria when the assailants intercepted the vehicle.

According to local sources, the bus was carrying 16 passengers. The gunmen reportedly stopped the vehicle, forced the occupants into the bush and seized their mobile phones to prevent communication with relatives or security agencies. The abandoned bus was later recovered and moved to the Utonkon Police Station.

There are conflicting casualty figures. While the Chairman of Oju LGA, Jackson Ominyi, said two persons were killed and two rescued through a joint effort with Okpokwu LGA authorities, the Benue State Police Command confirmed one fatality and 15 abductions.

Police spokesperson Udeme Edet disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, has deployed a tactical team to track down the perpetrators and secure the victims’ release.

The incident comes less than 48 hours after gunmen abducted nine worshippers during a church vigil in Utonkon, underscoring persistent security challenges in Benue State and growing concerns over the safety of residents and interstate travellers.