From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Bandits have hijacked two passenger vehicles and kidnapped 19 travellers in Gwer West Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, a traditional ruler, Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomtse, confirmed to journalists via phone on Thursday, April 24.
The vehicles involved were a Picnic bus and a Sharon bus, each carrying about 12 passengers.
Abomtse noted that an elderly woman, a breastfeeding mother, her two children, and a driver were spared during the attack. As of Thursday evening, he said the police had released the spared passengers.
Yakubu Onu, Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), High Level Unit, also confirmed the incident, detailing that the first vehicle, heading to Lokoja, had nine passengers, six of whom were abducted.
The second vehicle, travelling from Ankpa in Kogi State to Makurdi, had eight passengers kidnapped at the same spot near Naka, the headquarters of Gwer West LGA.
“The driver and the three spared passengers reported to Naka police station and were told to continue their journey,” Onu said. “They complained that they have not heard from those abducted, nor received further information about the passengers from Ankpa.”