Okpokwu, Benue State, June 23, 2025 – A Benue Links commercial bus was attacked on Sunday evening by suspected gunmen along the Otukpo-Otukpa road in Eke, Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, leaving passengers robbed and abducted.
The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m., when the bus, bearing registration number 14B-143BN, was ferrying travellers through the route. According to eyewitnesses, the assailants emerged from the surrounding bush, laid an ambush, and intercepted the vehicle.
Passengers were reportedly dispossessed of their belongings at gunpoint before being forcefully taken into the nearby forest.
The swift intervention of Comrade Austin Agada, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, helped prompt immediate action. Agada, who coincidentally passed by shortly after the attack, quickly alerted military and police operatives in the area.
Security forces responded without delay, mobilising to the scene and launching search-and-rescue operations in the forested area surrounding the road.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the kidnapped passengers. Authorities have yet to disclose the exact number of those abducted, but local sources confirm that multiple individuals remain unaccounted for.
Residents and commuters have expressed growing concerns about rising insecurity along the Otukpo-Otukpa axis, which has witnessed several similar attacks in recent times.
Security agencies are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movement, while calling for calm as investigations and rescue efforts continue.
