Suspected herdsmen kill driver, abduct Benue passengers

DDM News

Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen carried out a violent ambush on a commercial vehicle along the Otukpo-Adoka road in Benue State on Sunday night.

According to Diaspora digital media (DDM), the attack occurred at about 11 p.m., shocking residents and travelers who frequently ply the route.

The ill-fated vehicle was reportedly traveling from Abuja and heading toward Otukpo when the gunmen struck.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers emerged suddenly from nearby bushes and opened fire on the oncoming vehicle.

The sudden gunshots created panic among the occupants, causing a chaotic scene as bullets ripped through the night.

The driver of the vehicle was hit by the gunfire and immediately lost control of the bus.

The vehicle veered off the highway and crashed into the surrounding bushland.

The injured driver died at the scene, and his lifeless body was later identified as that of a native of Adoka.

After the vehicle came to a halt, the assailants moved in swiftly and abducted all the passengers.

The passengers were reportedly marched into the bush at gunpoint, and their whereabouts remain unknown.

The hijacked vehicle was left abandoned at the scene of the attack.

Military operatives later arrived and cordoned off the area as part of a manhunt for the perpetrators.

As of press time, no arrests had been made and the kidnapped victims had not been rescued.

This incident adds to a long list of herdsmen-related violence that has plagued Benue State over the years.

Benue has been the epicenter of farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria, with thousands killed and displaced since 2013.

The Otukpo-Adoka road, once considered safe, has increasingly become a danger zone due to frequent ambushes and kidnappings.

Residents in nearby communities have expressed fear and outrage over the rising wave of insecurity in the area.

They lament the lack of consistent patrols and the absence of permanent military checkpoints along the road.

The state government has continued to urge the federal government to intervene more aggressively to end the bloodshed.

Governor Hyacinth Alia, since taking office, has highlighted insecurity as one of his administration’s top concerns.

Despite various security operations in the state, violent incidents involving armed herders remain disturbingly frequent.

In April, a similar attack on the Makurdi-Naka road claimed multiple lives and left several others injured.

Community leaders are demanding the deployment of more security personnel and surveillance technology along major routes.

Many believe the attackers are part of organized armed groups taking advantage of porous security systems.

They argue that federal silence and delayed responses have emboldened these criminal elements.

Civil society organizations have also renewed their calls for the federal government to designate armed herdsmen as terrorists.

Travelers are now avoiding routes like Otukpo-Adoka, fearing for their lives and safety.

The fear has had a damaging impact on trade, movement, and agricultural supply in the state.

Benue, known as the food basket of the nation, is now battling widespread fear instead of flourishing farms.

The economic toll of the violence is yet to be fully calculated, but experts warn it could become severe.

The National Assembly is under pressure to review Nigeria’s security architecture and offer urgent legislative solutions.

Security experts continue to advocate for community policing, better intelligence sharing, and proactive security presence on rural roads.

Meanwhile, families of the kidnapped passengers are living in agony, uncertain of their loved ones’ fate.

Locals have started organizing prayer vigils and appeals for government intervention.

The attack has sparked renewed national debate on the menace of herdsmen and the future of Nigeria’s internal security.

Without swift and decisive action, many fear the killings and kidnappings may escalate further in the coming months.

Nigeria remains haunted by recurring patterns of violence, particularly in its Middle Belt and North-Central regions.

The latest Benue attack is another grim reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive security reforms across the country.

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