Benue residents protest alleged abduction of 18 mourners

Residents of Tyomu community in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State have staged a protest following the reported abduction of 18 people who were travelling to Kogi State for a burial.

Women from the community blocked the Makurdi-Gboko Highway on Tuesday, demanding government intervention to secure the release of their relatives.
The victims were reportedly abducted on Friday, September 25, along the Adoka-Ankpa Road while travelling in a hired vehicle to attend a burial ceremony in Kogi State.

Residents said the group consisted of 18 people, including eight women.
According to community accounts, the kidnappers contacted relatives of some of the victims and initially demanded N30 million in ransom.
The community reportedly raised and paid N3 million, but the abducted residents had still not been released when the protest took place.

The protest caused traffic disruption along the Makurdi-Gboko Road as residents called on security agencies and the Benue State Government to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.

Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs Joseph Har confirmed that authorities had received a report of the kidnapping.
However, Har said he had not independently established the exact number of people abducted.

He said police and security personnel around Adoka and neighbouring communities were working to identify where the victims were being held. The Sun Nigeria
Benue Commissioner for Information and Orientation Solomon Iorpev also confirmed that authorities were aware of the incident and appealed for calm.
Iorpev said the state Commissioner of Police was engaging the transport company and families of the victims as security agencies worked to trace those abducted