Gunmen attacked a commercial bus along Utonkon–Okpoga Road in Benue State on Monday evening, abducting 15 passengers and killing one, police confirmed.
The bus, carrying 16 travellers from Iheijwo Market in Oju LGA, was en route to southwestern Nigeria when attackers intercepted it around 7 p.m.
Jude Onwe, a youth leader in Utonkon district, said the gunmen forced passengers into the bush and confiscated their phones to prevent communication.
The abandoned vehicle was later recovered and moved to the Utonkon police station, according to local reports. Authorities are still pursuing the perpetrators.
Jackson Ominyi, chairman of Oju LGA, said two passengers were rescued through collaboration with Okpokwu authorities, while one person was killed during the abduction.
Police spokesman Udeme Edet confirmed that the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, deployed tactical units to track the gunmen responsible for the attack.
The incident followed a similar abduction at Saint John’s Catholic Church in Utonkon district 48 hours earlier, where nine worshippers were kidnapped during a vigil.
Benue has seen a surge in attacks by non-state actors, with kidnappings and violent assaults targeting residents and travellers despite government security efforts.
Authorities continue to search for the remaining victims, while the state urges communities to remain vigilant amid increasing insecurity in the region.
