Suspected bandits launched another deadly attack in Nigeria’s Benue State, abducting at least 14 passengers and killing two others during a night-time ambush on a major road, authorities and local officials said Tuesday, as fears mounted over escalating insecurity in the region.
The passengers were traveling from communities in the Igede axis of Oju and Obi local government areas toward southwestern Nigeria when their vehicle was intercepted around 7 p.m. Monday along the Utonkon–Ojapo/Okpoga road in the Okpokwu area of the state, local sources and officials said.
Witness accounts indicated the assailants opened fire after the driver attempted to evade the attackers, triggering panic among those onboard. Two passengers were shot during the confrontation and died at the scene, while the remaining victims were forced off the road and taken into nearby bushland, residents and local officials said.
The latest abduction came less than 48 hours after armed men stormed St. John’s Catholic Church in Ojije, Utonkon, during a night vigil and kidnapped nine worshippers, underscoring what community leaders describe as a deteriorating security situation across central Benue.
A local resident in Makurdi, the state capital, said the vehicle departed Iheijwo Market in Oju Local Government Area early Monday evening before encountering the attackers.
“They left Iheijwo Market around 7 p.m. and passed through the Utonkon-Ojapo/Okpoga road when gunmen stopped them,” the source said by phone. “When the driver tried not to stop, one person was shot dead. The attackers later took the passengers into the bush.”
Another passenger later succumbed to gunshot wounds at the scene, the source added.
The Chairman of Oju Local Government Area, Jackson Ominyi, confirmed the incident, saying he received briefings from security aides shortly after the attack.
“My security officer informed me that some of our people were abducted around the Okpokwu axis,” Ominyi said Tuesday. “I learned that two passengers were killed and the remaining passengers were taken away.”
Ominyi said he had contacted officers of the Department of State Services in the area and was attempting to coordinate with neighboring local government officials to gather more details and support rescue efforts.
Efforts to obtain immediate confirmation from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful. The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, neither confirmed nor denied the incident when contacted earlier, saying only that she would revert with details. No further response had been received as of publication time.
The attack mirrors details published by Daily Post Nigeria, which also cited local sources describing a coordinated ambush in which the attackers blocked the roadway and fired at the vehicle when the driver attempted to escape.
Benue State, long plagued by communal clashes and criminal violence, has in recent years witnessed a surge in kidnappings along highways, particularly in rural corridors linking local government areas. While such attacks were once sporadic, residents say they have become increasingly frequent and brazen, often occurring in early evening hours when traffic thins and security patrols are scarce.
Security analysts note that the Utonkon–Ojapo/Okpoga corridor has emerged as a recurring hotspot for abductions, due in part to dense vegetation that allows armed groups to retreat quickly after attacks. The road also serves as a critical transit route for travelers moving between central Nigeria and the southwest, making it an attractive target for ransom-seeking gangs.
The recent spate of violence has heightened anxiety among residents, particularly following the abduction of worshippers from a Catholic church — an incident that shattered assumptions that religious spaces offered relative safety.
Community leaders warn that the cumulative effect of repeated attacks is disrupting economic activity and daily life, as residents increasingly avoid night travel and transport operators suspend services on high-risk routes. Some transport unions have reportedly begun advising drivers to travel only in convoys or limit movement after dusk, though enforcement remains inconsistent.
While ransom demands are common in such cases, officials have not disclosed whether contact has been made with the abductors or whether negotiations are underway. Authorities have also not released details on any search or rescue operations, though local officials say security agencies have been alerted.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, the latest incident raises broader questions about the capacity of security forces to secure highways and protect rural communities. Analysts say the persistence of such attacks reflects gaps in intelligence coverage, limited patrol resources, and slow emergency response times in remote areas.
For families of the abducted passengers, the focus remains on survival and safe return. Residents in Oju and surrounding communities said they were bracing for possible ransom demands while urging authorities to act swiftly.
As night attacks continue to ripple across Benue State, the latest ambush adds to growing pressure on security agencies and state leaders to stem a wave of criminal violence that residents fear is becoming the new normal.
Punchng/DailyPostng
