According to Punch, a routine journey turned into a nightmare for bus passengers in Benue State after they were ambushed and abducted by gunmen on Thursday night along a road near Otukpo. The swift intervention of the police, working closely with the Benue State Civil Protection Guard, led to a dramatic rescue operation that saved 14 hostages — but not without bloodshed.
According to the police, the incident began when a commercial bus carrying passengers was intercepted by armed men, who opened fire and forcibly dragged the occupants into a nearby forest. In the chaos, the bus driver and several passengers sustained gunshot injuries. The driver and one passenger were later confirmed dead due to the severity of their wounds.
Within hours of receiving the distress call, the Benue State police command mobilized its tactical units and initiated a coordinated manhunt, combing the dense forest terrain with support from local security volunteers. The operation reached a critical point on Friday afternoon when the search team encountered the kidnappers’ camp deep in the forest.
A fierce gun battle broke out around 3:00 p.m. when the bandits, spotting the advancing rescue team, engaged them in a shootout. However, overwhelmed by the superior firepower and tactical coordination of the security forces, the kidnappers abandoned their hostages and fled, disappearing into the wilderness.
Though the majority of the victims were found alive, two had already been brutally attacked with machetes by their captors, suffering deep wounds. All 14 rescued victims were immediately evacuated to the hospital for emergency care. Unfortunately, one of them was declared dead on arrival, bringing the death toll from the incident to two.
The identities of the victims have not been released, but the police say investigations are ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects. The authorities believe the assailants are part of a larger network of kidnappers that has been terrorizing travelers along major routes in the state.
This latest incident adds to a disturbing pattern of abductions in Benue, a state that has witnessed repeated clashes involving criminal gangs and insurgents in recent years. The security agencies have promised to intensify patrols along highways and enhance surveillance to prevent similar attacks.
