Gunmen kidnap three travellers, shoot driver on Benue highway

By Peter Duru Armed men have reportedly kidnapped three travellers and shot a driver during an attack on a vehicle at Ijami village, Oglewu, Ohimini Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State. The incident, which occurred at about 9:25pm on Saturday, involved seven persons travelling from Enugu to Abuja. The latest attack came barely days after a similar incident along the same axis, where a grieving man and his five friends were kidnapped while conveying the remains of his late wife from Kano for burial in neighbouring Okpokwu Local Government Area.

In that incident, the kidnappers reportedly abandoned the corpse of the deceased on the highway before whisking her husband and his friends into the forest. They were subsequently released after a ransom was paid. Recounting the latest incident, an eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victims were attacked shortly after passing Otukpo on their way to Abuja.

He said, “they were coming from Enugu and heading to Abuja on Saturday. At about 9:25pm, they got to a place called Ijami after Otukpo, under Oglewu. They were seven persons in the vehicle. The vehicle was attacked and the driver was shot. “He is in critical condition and currently receiving treatment in a hospital. Three of the passengers were taken into the forest by the armed men, while three of the passengers managed to escape.

They have been seen and are in safe condition.” Expressing concern over the recurring attacks along the route, the eyewitness appealed to motorists to avoid travelling on the axis at night, blaming the deplorable condition of some roads for making it easier for criminals to operate. “We will continue to appeal to people to avoid these routes when night falls.

Some of these roads are in deplorable condition, which makes it easy for the criminals to stop the vehicles and take away their victims. “We appeal that wherever you are coming from, pass the night in Otukpo and continue your trip the next day and be safe, rather than end up in the hands of armed men who will subject your family to unimaginable trauma to raise ransom money,” he said.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Chairman of Ohimini Local Government Area, Gabriel Adole, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls put across to his telephone. However, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, confirmed the incident. He said, “The victims were seven in number, three were rescued while three others are with the kidnappers.

The driver was shot and he is receiving treatment at Teaching Hospital, Otukpo. “While efforts are on to secure the release of the other three, we urge the commuters to avoid night travels. Whenever it is night, look for somewhere and pass the night. The Commissioner had issued that advice and we expect that people, for their own safety, desist from night travels.”