Passengers abducted as gunmen hijack Benue Links bus

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Sunday hijacked a Benue Links bus travelling along Otukpo-Ugbokolo road in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.

Our correspondent reports that the fresh abduction of passengers aboard Benue Links vehicle, the state owned transport company, makes it the second incident in just two weeks.

Recall that two Lagos-bound Benue Links bus were also hijacked along Ajaokuta-Okene highway on Sunday, September 10, 2023 by suspected kidnappers.

Secretary General of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (Benue Links chapter), Comrade Gabriel Tachia, told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday that the fully loaded bus was on its way to Makurdi from Onitsha before it was hijacked on the Benue road.

“Four passengers were released as at yesterday night (Sunday) after the army gave the abductors a hot chase. It was a fully loaded bus (with 15 occupants). The bus was returning from Onitsha to Makurdi,” he said.

Tachia added that eight of the 10 Lagos-bound passengers abducted in Kogi axis penultimate week had been released remaining two victims.

Locals said that the incident occurred at 2:30pm on Sunday and while the operation lasted over 30 minutes, motorists plying that section of the highway were helpless.

A local chief in the area, who escaped being caught up in the attack, narrated that the spot – Olanyega/Ogbodo – where the incident happened on the Otukpo-Ugbokolo-Enugu Expressway had over time become unsafe for commuters.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident without giving any details.

Anene in a text message to our correspondent stated, “incident confirmed an investigation is ongoing.”