Benue Police Confirm Suspected Kidnapping of Bus Passengers on Otukpo-Ugbokolo-Enugu Road

The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the suspected abduction of passengers traveling in a Hummer bus with registration number 14B-143BN along the Otukpo-Ugbokolo-Enugu road.

According to a statement from the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, the incident occurred near Ugbokolo, where the abandoned bus was found by the roadside with passengers’ belongings still inside. The bus had reportedly come under attack, and several passengers were believed to have been kidnapped.

Security operatives, including Police Tactical Teams, the Military, and the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards, responded promptly to the scene. During a search operation, one of the kidnapped passengers, identified as Paul Terna, was rescued after managing to escape from his captors.

The police have since deployed additional reinforcements to intensify the search for the remaining missing passengers.

In a separate statement, the Public Relations Officer of Benue Links Nigeria Limited, Johnson Ehi Daniel, disclosed that the bus had been en route to Makurdi from Abeokuta when it was attacked on Sunday evening at Eke Olengbecho in Okpokwu Local Government Area.

He confirmed that the vehicle, which was carrying 12 passengers, was later found abandoned with some of the passengers’ luggage inside, but both the driver and other occupants were unaccounted for.

Investigation into the incident is ongoing.