At least 19 passengers were abducted by suspected armed herdsmen on Thursday morning in Jor community along the Adoka-Naka road in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
The victims, who were travelling in two commercial buses, were reportedly ambushed in two separate but closely timed attacks at the same location, approximately three kilometres from Naka, the Gwer West LGA headquarters.
One of the buses was en route to Makurdi from Ankpa in Kogi State, while the other was heading to Lokoja from Makurdi when both ran into the ambush.
The Ter Tyoshin and Chairman of the Gwer West Traditional Council, His Royal Highness Daniel Abomtse, confirmed the incident. “I was told that each vehicle had about 12 passengers on board. However, an elderly woman, a nursing mother with her two children, and one of the drivers were not taken,” he said.
These spared individuals were able to alert authorities at the Naka Police Station shortly after the attack and have since been released.
Yakubu Onu, Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), High Level Unit, which oversees operations on the route, also confirmed the abductions by the suspected herdsmen.
“The surviving passengers made their way to the police station and were later allowed to continue their journey,” he said, adding that the union is still awaiting further updates from drivers and passengers on the route, and has received no communication from the abducted victims so far.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
