18-seater bus ambushed in Benue, driver shot as 14 passengers abducted

By Johnson Arua

An 18-seater commercial bus travelling from Enugu to Abuja was Thursday night ambushed by armed men along the Ankpechi–Umutele axis of Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State, with 14 passengers reportedly abducted.

The incident occurred at about 7pm when the attackers, numbering about nine, reportedly opened fire on the vehicle from both the front and rear before shooting two of its tyres, forcing the driver to stop.

The driver sustained a gunshot wound to his leg during the attack and was subsequently rescued alongside five passengers, including a four-year-old boy, during a coordinated operation by security agencies.

The Benue State Police Command, however, said nine victims remained in the custody of the suspected kidnappers as of Friday, contradicting earlier reports that 14 passengers were still being held.

Recounting his ordeal from a hospital bed, the driver, whose name was withheld, said he left Enugu at about 3pm and reached Otukpo Roundabout around 6pm before proceeding towards Abuja.

He said shortly after reaching the Ankpechi–Omutele axis, gunmen emerged from both sides of the road and opened fire on the bus.

“Shortly after, when we got to that community, there was gunshot at my back and when I looked from my side mirror, I saw three armed men. Then another gang of about six or seven started shooting at my vehicle from the front,” he said.

According to him, the attackers shot one of the vehicle’s tyres and later damaged another when he attempted to escape.

“I was then forced to stop. I didn't know that one of the shots got my leg. It was when they asked everyone to come out of the vehicle that I realised that I could not walk,” he said.

The driver alleged that the attackers, whom he identified as herdsmen, assaulted him after forcing him out of the vehicle, while the passengers were marched into the nearby bush.

He said one passenger managed to escape and later returned with people who helped rescue him and others left behind by the attackers.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, said the command received information about the abduction and immediately commenced a coordinated rescue operation.

Aondongu said the operation involved an exchange of gunfire with the suspected kidnappers and resulted in the rescue of five victims, including a four-year-old boy.

“One of the rescued victims sustained a gunshot injury during the operation and was immediately taken to a medical facility in Otukpo, where he is receiving treatment,” he said.

The police spokesperson added that operatives of the command, in collaboration with sister security agencies, had intensified efforts to rescue the remaining victims safely.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, assured the victims’ families and the public that concerted efforts were ongoing to secure the safe release of those still in captivity.

The command urged residents around the affected axis to remain calm and vigilant, while providing security agencies with credible information that could assist the rescue operation.

The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of travellers along major highways linking Benue with neighbouring states, particularly amid continuing efforts to curb kidnapping and other security threats in the state.