How we escaped – victims
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Unifentified gunmen have hijacked another Benue Links vehicle along Makurdi-Naka road, in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue state, and abducted passengers numbering 15.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident took place at the weekend while the vehicle was conveying passengers from Otukpo to Makurdi.
Some of the victims who managed to escape from the hands of the abductors, said the incident happened close to a military check point along the Naka – Makurdi road.
One of the victims, Blessing Omashi, said she was travelling to Makurdi from where she would proceed to Abuja, when the incident occurred. She said the incident happened at about 3pm.
According to her, “We had just passed the soldiers spot and then got to their own spot when the kidnappers stopped the vehicle. We thought they were soldiers but we didn’t know that they were armed men. They were wearing army uniforms and wielding guns. They shot into the air as they led us into the bush where they are still holding some people. They were up to 15 in number.
“I escaped in the night. I slept in the bush that night and yesterday (Sunday), I came out, went to the park and arrived here in the evening. I was coming from Otukpo to Makurdi enroute Abuja. They made us walk for over 40 minutes and kept changing location.
“They spoke in English and the local dialect and Hausa. They were not masked. It was around midnight that I sneaked out of the line and escaped. They molested us”.
Another victim who didn’t want to be named said, “before now, people thought these kidnappings were propaganda when the former Governor Samuel Ortom used to shout. I must say he is my hero. This was what he tried to avoid. I think the present government should continue from where he stopped. Nobody is safe in this state.
“The security men heard gunshot but could not do anything because they needed to get signal. We need security team that will be proactive. I saw 5 of them heavily armed shooting sporadically but they shot at nobody. They spoke in Fulani and English shouting ‘move or I waste you.
Narrating his ordeal, another victim, Raymond Mbabov said, “I was coming back after attending a Chinese Exhibition in Lagos. I usually travel by air but due to the cost I decided to go by road. We got to Taraku and the driver of the vehicle had to transfer us to Benue Links bus. I am not familiar with the road but one or two (2) persons complained that the road is bad with lots of pot holes. It is a lonely road but the driver insisted that it was shorter.
“Just shortly after the military check point, we saw a group of people with torchlights speaking Fulani and passive English. They were very aggressive and started breaking windows of the vehicle and said if we do not come down, they will spray us. The passengers shouted at the driver to open the door.
“The first person they identified was me. I was holding two phones and a power bank. We were 18 in number and they lined us in a straight file. As they were taking us to wherever they wanted, I had already made up my mind to run, if they shoot me at least my family will see my corpse to bury. I was ready to bear the consequences. I ran off with others too going different directions.”
“They did not bother to go after us but concentrated on the remaining ones. I went into the bush and there observed, that the military were riding on bike and shooting into the air to where they Benue Links vehicle was parked. I later went to the military point and explained myself and asked them to try and rescue the others. But the soldiers said they have not gotten signal.”
Recall that the Naka Federal road has been notorious for several incidence of kidnapping and this was the second time the Benue Links bus is falling victim to such attack on same road.