Authorities in Benue State have launched a manhunt using drone surveillance and tactical teams to rescue 11 abducted passengers and their driver, who were kidnapped along the Otukpo-Otukpa-Enugu highway on Sunday evening.
The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. near Eke in the Okpokwu Local Government Area, when suspected kidnappers intercepted a bus operated by Benue Links Transport Company.
The bus was traveling from Abeokuta, Ogun State to Makurdi, the Benue State capital, with 12 passengers on board.
Confirming the incident, the Information Officer of Benue Links, Johnson Daniel, said in a statement on Monday that one of the passengers managed to escape and alerted the police at Eke.
“We regret to inform the public of the unfortunate attack on one of our buses with registration number 14B – 143BN,” the statement read.
“The vehicle was discovered abandoned at Eke with passengers’ luggage still intact, but 11 passengers and the driver were missing.”
Daniel condemned the attack and assured the public that the company was cooperating fully with security agencies to ensure the safe return of the victims.
The Benue State Police Command, in its own confirmation, stated that a joint team comprising police operatives, military personnel, and the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards had been deployed to the area.
The spokesperson for the command, SP Sewuese Anene (or Udeme Edet as earlier referenced), said one passenger, identified as Paul Terna, was rescued during an initial search operation.
“Following the distress report, tactical police teams, soldiers, and local security operatives combed the surrounding bushes,” the police spokesperson said.
“We rescued one of the abducted passengers, and additional reinforcements have been deployed to intensify the operation.”
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ifeanyi Emenari, is said to be on the ground to supervise the rescue efforts. Edet further confirmed that drone technology was being used to aid the operation.
“There is no new update yet, but we have deployed drones in the area to help pinpoint the kidnappers’ location,” he stated.
Efforts to reach the acting spokesperson for Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Zubair Ahmad, were unsuccessful at the time of reporting, though he promised to consult with his superiors and respond later.
The Otukpo/Okpokwu axis of the Enugu highway has become a hotspot for kidnappings in recent times, with at least three reported incidents in the past month alone.
Residents and travelers are calling on security agencies to increase patrols and surveillance in the area to curb the rising wave of abductions.
