A group of armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen hijacked a commercial bus carrying traders from Enugu State on Saturday evening, kidnapping several passengers and shooting one woman.
The attack happened around 7 p.m. along the Owukpa–Orokam road in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State. The victims were returning from Orie Orba Market in Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu State, when their fully loaded bus was ambushed.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, who appeared from the bush, blocked the road and forced the vehicle to stop. The gunmen reportedly dragged several female passengers into the bush. One woman, who tried to resist, was shot in the leg and abandoned because of heavy bleeding.
She is currently receiving treatment at St. Mary’s Hospital in Okpoga, a nearby town in Benue.
The leader of the local vigilante group in Owukpa confirmed the incident and said efforts are ongoing to track the kidnappers and rescue the victims. “Our people are in the bush searching,” he said. “We are also working with other local security groups and the police.”
As of Monday morning, no contact had been made by the kidnappers, and family members of the victims are in deep fear and confusion.
A relative of one of the missing women, who gave her name as Ngozi, said, “My sister left the market around 6 p.m. and was supposed to be back before 9 p.m. We’ve not heard anything since then.”
The Owukpa–Orokam road has become notorious for kidnappings and robberies in recent months, raising concerns over the safety of travelers and market traders who rely on the route.
Community leaders have repeatedly called on the Benue State Government and security agencies to increase patrols and provide better protection in the area.
“This is not the first time,” said a resident. “We live in fear. People are now scared to go to the market.”
The police are yet to release an official statement, but a senior officer in the area confirmed that an investigation has started.
Meanwhile, families of the abducted women continue to pray and hope for their safe return.
