Gunmen abduct four passengers in Benue

Gunmen have abducted at least four passengers from a commercial bus in Otukpo LGA of Benue.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, said the incident occurred at about 10pm on August 2, near Mechanic Village in Otukpo area of the state.

Citing sources, the publication said the victims were travelling from Abia state to Otukpo in a commercial Hummer bus when the assailants attacked.

Makama said the attackers, suspected to be armed herders and dressed in military camouflage, reportedly took four passengers into a nearby bush.

It said one of the passengers, identified as Sandra Okoh from Otobi Akpa, escaped and was later found during a search and rescue operation by Nigerian troops.

Okoh told security operatives that her husband, Okoh Mike, was among those abducted, and alleged that the driver of the bus fled the scene with passengers’ belongings and failed to alert the police.

The publication added that security operatives have launched a manhunt for the abductors and are working to rescue the remaining victims.

When contacted, Udeme Edet, police spokesperson in the state, told TheCable that the command is aware of the incident and that further information will be communicated.

“We are aware of the incident, but we are yet to get more information about it,” Edet said.

The state has witnessed a spike in abduction cases in recent times.

On June 22, gunmen kidnapped 13 passengers, including the driver of a Benue Links bus, in Okpokwu LGA.

The victims were later rescued by the police.