By the IDNN Security & Crime Desk | April 25, 2025
At least 19 passengers were abducted by suspected gunmen on Thursday morning along the Adoka-Naka-Makurdi Road in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State. The victims were travelling in two commercial vehicles when they were ambushed near Jor Community, roughly 3 kilometers from Naka town.
Eyewitnesses say the attackers intercepted the vehicles—a Picnic Bus and a Sharon Bus—forcing passengers into the surrounding bush at gunpoint. The incident has sparked renewed concerns over rising insecurity in central Nigeria.
Benue Passenger Kidnapping: 14 to 19 Abducted, Says NURTW
According to Yakubu Onu, Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), High Level Unit, two vehicles from their park were involved in the incident:
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One vehicle heading to Lokoja with 9 passengers was attacked; 6 were abducted, while the driver, an elderly man, woman, and a toddler were later released.
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A second vehicle from Ankpa to Makurdi, carrying 8 passengers, was also hijacked at the same spot, and all 8 were taken into the bush.
“We believe at least 14 passengers were taken. But witnesses say it could be up to 19,” Onu told reporters.
Survivors Describe Ordeal as Elderly and Child Spared
Eyewitnesses say two of the released passengers—an elderly couple believed to be from Kogi State—shared harrowing details of the abduction. The captors reportedly spared them and a toddler due to their age and vulnerability.
“The gunmen were armed with sophisticated weapons. They ordered everyone out of the vehicles and marched us into the forest,” one of the freed victims recounted.
The victims had been trekking for some distance before the gunmen released the elderly couple and child, instructing them to return home.
Police Yet to Respond, Road Remains Risky
A driver from High Level Park confirmed the attack, noting that most commercial vehicles avoid the Naka-Adoka route due to persistent insecurity. He said only drivers plying the Benue-Kogi axis continue to use the road despite repeated warnings.
Attempts to contact Benue State Police PRO, CSP Catherine Anene, for official confirmation were unsuccessful as she did not respond to calls or messages at the time of filing this report.
Witnesses claim a report was lodged at the Naka Police Station, but they were told to continue their journey without further action.
Insecurity Persists on Benue Roads
The Benue passenger kidnapping incident is the latest in a wave of abductions across the Middle Belt, with roads between Benue and Kogi States becoming notorious for violent ambushes. Local transporters and security experts have repeatedly called for increased surveillance and military patrols in the region.