Several female passengers were abducted on Saturday evening after suspected armed herdsmen intercepted a Benue Links transport vehicle along the Owukpa–Orokam road in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The ambush reportedly took place around 7 p.m. near Eyiupi community as the victims were returning from Orba market in Enugu State and heading to Owukpa. The attackers, believed to be heavily armed, stopped the vehicle and seized the women, who included both adults and young girls.
One of the passengers, who sustained serious gunshot injuries during the incident, was abandoned by the kidnappers due to her excessive bleeding, which may have posed a risk to their concealment. She was later rescued and is currently receiving emergency treatment at the intensive care unit of St. Mary’s Hospital in Okpoga.
Amos Agada, the leader of the Owukpa vigilante group, confirmed the abduction and noted that as of Sunday morning, the perpetrators had not made contact with any of the victims’ families. He assured that efforts were underway by local security groups to locate and rescue the kidnapped women.
A prominent community figure, Hon. Adikwu Daniel, issued a public statement calling on the Chairman of Ogbadibo Local Government Council and security agencies to respond urgently. He emphasized the need for a permanent and robust security framework along the route, which he described as a long-standing danger zone vulnerable to repeated attacks.
Copies of the statement have also been forwarded to key authorities including the Ada Ogbadibo, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Orokam, urging them to take immediate action.
